


All the Ashes in the World (English Version)

by AliceandHatter



Series: The King of the Ashes Universe [1]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Basically Dany figures out what she really wants to do, Character Death, Daenerys Targaryen Is Not a Mad Queen, Dark Jon Snow, F/M, Jon went trough mental breakdown that cause him to kill his Stark side and go full Targaryen, Role Reversal, bit of tyrion against jon, dany stays sane, eventually dark jon, eventually mad jon, it does has a kind of happy ending tho, just to take a look at what dumb and dumber's tactics are, like a lot, so probably still not gonna be very happy, start at the end of S8E2, there might be a lot of mistakes, this is a reverse version of S8, this is an experiment fic, translate into English, writer is not a native English speaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:46:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22630462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceandHatter/pseuds/AliceandHatter
Summary: The battle of Longnight went on a different way. War and death still follow afterwards.Anyway, one of the coins will flip into the wrong side, all the snow in the world will turn into ashes. The truth hurts one way or another.(This one is English version)
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: The King of the Ashes Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031901
Comments: 42
Kudos: 90





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the English version of my fic. I'm not a native English speaker so there might be lots of mistakes. My gramma and spelling probably were fed to Dany's dragon and Ghost sometime. Please don't juge me too hard. Again like I said in the tags this is just an experiment fic so some of the characters probably will be ooc too just like S8 and some of your favourite charachers who live at the end of the canon will die and some who died in canon will live in this one. The reason I write this fic is because the ending hurt me deeply as a Jonerys fan and I really don’t like and I’m tired of Dany stans and Jon stans blaming each other’s characters after the final. So I write this partly hopeful to let both of the stans to think in each other’s shoes. This one does has a happy ending because I’m not sadistic like D&D, I don’t hate men and Dany will NOT be stupid or a robot like S8 show Jon. Major Major character death this is my warning.

**Daenerys**  
  
"If it were true, it would make you the last male heir of House Targaryen. "  
“You have a claim to the Iron Throne. "

  
When the words came out of Daenerys's mouth, she knew almost immediately that the secret would destroy everything, destroy her.

  
She stared in horror at Jon Snow, the man she loved, no, Aegon Targaryen—Disgusted? Shame? Indifference? She’s not so sure anymore. That's why he's been avoiding her lately, right? Because she was his aunt…… No, no, almost for the first time, she could not tell, she could not read the expression on his face, the man who value his honor as his life. Then the fear turned to anger, and all the betrayals she had suffered flashed through her mind, even though he hasn’t done any of them. Is his brother and best friend using him against her? Or is that what he's been planning all along? Did he already know the secret? Manipulate her, use her helpless love for him to against the army of the dead, then abandon her when she's no longer needed, and take her throne? Is this his revenge for his mother, his uncle, and his grandfather, House Stark’s revenge to House Targaryen?

  
But if that's the case, why would he tell her now? If he really wanted the throne, why not wait for her to be destroyed or weakened by the Night King's army then tell the secret to the whole world ?

  
And why is he still calling her "Dany" ?

  
Daenerys felt her head spinning. Why would he tell her now? Doesn't he understand that it gives her a reason and a chance to kill him? Maybe he knew. He knew she loved him so much that she could never hurt him. How hateful! All these years, she, the last Targaryen, all her efforts and suffering is to take back her family’s throne, to where her ancestors have lived for generations, her home. Since she rose from the fire with three dragons, she has never been more certain that this was her destiny.

  
But she wasn't the last Targaryen. She wasn't alone.

  
What if it's not her final destination? What if the iron throne isn't her ultimate goal? Then who is she? What's she gonna do? Where will she go? Daenerys felt that her faith, which had sustained her for so many years, had been shaken as never before.

  
No, no, she can't let herself think like that. She's come this far all these years by believing in herself. She has already reached this point. She can't allow herself to go back. She can't afford it. If she looks back, she's lost. She can't and doesn't have time to think about it.

  
Suddenly, the horn blared. Daenerys thanked the more horrifying sound for freeing her from those terrifying thoughts. Yes, she didn't have time to think about.  
The Long Night has begun.  
  
  
**Jon**

  
The first attack had already started and they still had no sign of the Night King. The situation was not ideal. He and Daenerys were flying side by side on the backs of Rhaegel and Drogon. His queen looked worried. But he's probably no better himself.

  
Maybe he shouldn't have told her. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he should have picked a better time. But when else? He did not expect her to find him in the crypt, or he knew in his heart that it would happen sooner or later, and he could not escape it. Ever since the day he learned of his true birth, his mind had constantly wandered to the matter. Thousand questions had come to him, but he had no time to take a breath, to really stop and think. And there's no one left alive who knows any more detail about it………Maybe Howland Reed knows, but where is he now? Jon wondered. Whenever he saw Daenerys Targaryen, he couldn't help but think of his father, no, his uncle, had lied to him. He couldn’t help but think of way his whole life had been built on it, the way he could have lived his life without being treated with those cold stare, humiliated by the name of the bastard. All this was taken from him before he could even make a choice for himself. And he couldn’t help but felt sick to himself of what he had done to her, to his aunt......

  
And the worst part is, even after he knew the truth, he still couldn't stop loving her.

  
Maybe that's why he's been avoiding her. He's afraid of her reaction, afraid that the truth will ruin everything they have, but he does it anyway, and what she says seems to confirm his deepest fears. He has the right to sit on the iron throne, she said, with the anger in her blue-gold eyes as if she had suffered the greatest betrayal of her life. She no longer saw him as a loved one, but as a potential threat, an obstacle in her path to power.

  
In that moment, he too felt a sense of betrayal. Anger rising in his chest. Maybe Sansa was right, she never really loved him, she was just using him to gain the North's support. Maybe she'd turn around and leave right away, and let the Night King destroy them completely. Suddenly he began to loathe the lies, blame the truth. Why let him know about it now? He began to scold himself of why again let his emotions take over, telling her about it was a total mistake. What's he trying to prove?

  
But if that's true, why did she agree to help him in the first place? Even before he bent the kneel. She saved him, risked her life and lost a dragon for it. And after the shock of knowing the truth, she still looked at him with the trusting eyes just like the past, letting him ride Rhaegal instead of kicking him to the ground. No, she really cares about him and has a good heart. Jon shook his head, calmed himself, was ashamed of his foolish thoughts.

  
He turned to her, who was still a little distracted, perhaps by their earlier conversation. Did she regret it? The uneasy part of Jon wondered. Then he turned quickly before she could detect his gaze.

  
Of course, he thought bitterly, of course he knew the reason for all this, there was always a reason. His uncle had done it to protect him from the wrath of Robert Baratheon. And only he had done it, he, as a bastard, could get to the north of the Wall, to find a scourge that threatens all of mankind, to be the shield of the realm and protect this continent. That was his real mission. It doesn’t matter to him who was sitting on that damn chair. And he certainly understood why Sam had told him. His brother and father had been put on trial by the Queen’s justice. But Jon knew that Dany had her own reasons. His brother and father refused to surrender, they have betrayed their oath to House Tyrell and aligned themselves with Cersei Lannister. They refused to take the black and this is war. Samwell Tarly, whose heart was always softer than anyone else's, his best friend, and probably the one who knew him best, his brother who'd been with him since he joined the night's watch. He remembered their conversations with Edd behind the battlements of Winterfell. Slayer of White Walkers. Lover of Ladies. He hoped that he would be safe this time too, that the gods would bless him and Edd again, and that he would finally understand that Daenerys is a good queen.She deserves the iron throne.

  
And he's hopelessly in love with her, even though he knows he couldn’t. He shouldn’t.

  
Love, what does love bring to people? What does love bring to Robb ? To his biological parents? Only war and disaster. Love is the death of duty, said maester Aemon. For the love of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, millions of lives of the seven kingdoms are lost. "But you , Lord Snow, you will be fighting their battles forever." said Alliser Thorne to him. And perhaps this was gods punishment for them, for him, for his parents' mistakes he had to pay for with his whole life, never be able to live for himself. And he will do it, he will fight for others, if it will protect the ones he loves, and keep mankind from the threat of the dreadful long night, he will do it. And after that, if he lives, he will keep his promise to help his aunt sit on the iron throne, then return to serve as the warden of the North.

  
Just like his uncle, honor and duty always come first. Duty is the death of love.

  
But then again, if honor was so important to Ned Stark, then he wouldn't have lied about who he was, and he would probably have died at the hands of the Mountain like his half brother and sister. Was it worth it? For his uncle’s honor and protecting his king, he paid with his life, and his sons and daughters began years of suffering and vagrancy. And War still broke out.

  
Was it worth it? He made almost the same choice as his uncle. When he left the Free Folks and Ygritte and stand on their opposite sides. In order to fulfill his duty as Night's Watch and stop the wildlings from going south, she gave her life, killed by the same child that later murdered him. In the end, they let the wildlings into the Wall anyway. What was the point of all that sacrifice? What was the point of her sacrifice? If they had known of the Night King's threat, if he was given another chance, would they still be dead?

  
What if this is his second chance? What does it mean that he is free from the shadow of death, that he has a chance to be reunited with his family and his long lost aunt, that he knows his real parents? Does that mean, for once, he can have his own life?

  
No, Jon thought, denying the idea. It’s a naïve dream which belongs to that bastard boy of Winterfell. "Kill the boy, Jon Snow,and let the man be born." Maester Aemon once told him. Yes, he was brought back because he needs to save the realms of men. And that was all he needed to do now.

  
A dragon's roar brought Jon back.

  
The Night King appeared on his Ice Dragon.

  
He and Dany looked at each other, and then they rode toward him. The black and the green dragon biting and attacking the white dragon. And for a moment they could not tell who would win.

  
They fought for a long time. The wind was cold and biting, he clung to Rhaegal’s fin, all the shaking and spinning and the dragon's roar made him felt dizzy. Perhaps because everything in the air was too hard to control and distinguish, or perhaps they were both distracted. When Drogon's wing was bitten by Viserion, Jon felt himself freeze.

  
"Dany! " Jon shouted, charging in her direction and riding Rhaegel sideways into the night king, biting off half of Viserion's face. The attack worked, but it was too late. As the Night King fell from the Dragon, Dany and Drogon glided down at the same speed and soon he lost the sight of them in the thick fog.

  
"Dany! "

  
Jon called her again, diving anxiously, not realizing that his heart was racing. He let Rhaegel circled low in the air, calling her name again and again, but still not answering. Her dragon called his mother as well, the roar was so loud it made him feel as if his head would explode. As Jon's breathing became more and more rapid, all of his doubts vanished at that moment. The only thing he wanted to do now is to find her and make sure she was all right. Again because of his careless, he's afraid he's gonna lose her forever.

  
Finally, in the distance, thanks to the gods, he found her. Daenerys was surrounded by walkers, Drogon was nowhere to be seen, Night King stared at her with his cold blue eyes, closing in on her. Her silver hair was dishevelled as she fell out of the sky. She was defending herself with a dragonglass sword she had picked up. Her hands were trembling violently and her chest heaved. But even so, her eyes still showed fortitude and courage, like a faint flame in winter. For the first time, she looked so small.

  
For a moment, Jon felt his blood boil with that flame.

  
He suddenly remembered how Daenerys used to command her children, and the word came out.

  
“Dracarys.” 

  
**Samwell**

  
Sam was sure he was confident when he talked to Jon and Edd until the beginning of the battle. But now he wasn't so sure. Things got worse after they had taken out some of the enemy, the people around him were crushed like weeds by the army of the dead, and the foul, cold, bloody air was as thick as death itself. He clutched the dragonglass in his hand and cut whatever that before him in panic, gasping. For a moment, he felt as if he had gone back in time to when he was still a Night's Watch greenboy at Castle Black, the coward who couldn't even hold a sword, a failed first born son whose father despised his brother laughed at.

  
He heard someone shouting at him in the distance, probably Edd, but he was too frightened and continued to wave his weapon. He was in no mood to respond.

  
"Sam! " cried Edd again, a little trembling in his voice. Sam looked stiffly over his shoulder, only to find that the horde of the dead seemed to be drowning his brother in black. He stood there, watched bewildered as a dagger about to pierce into Edd's head. He felt like his heart is about to pop out of his throat. Was Edd had been watching his back, killing the walkers behind him? Gods, how has he grown so dull? He has to do something! Do something......But he couldn't move. Fear gripped his whole body.

  
What is he gonna do! This is terrible! This is the worst!

  
"You know I'm never going to get better, " he said to Jon that day.

  
"Well, you can't get any worse, " his best friend replied.

  
Yes. . . Yes! That’s right! He can't get any worse. Just run. Pick up your weapon and stabs it. Yes, just like what you did before. Samwell Tarly, Slayer of White Walkers. It's not that hard.

  
The first step was a little shaky, but as his pace picked up, things got better and better. Gradually he felt less afraid.

  
That's it. That's it. Help him. He can do it!

  
Sam roared, caught a dead by the collar and threw it away from Edd. He drew his dagger and sword from his waist, killed one and cut off the head of the other. After a while, the enemy was dealt with sooner than he thought.

  
"I told you guys I could fight. " said Sam, with a sigh of relief. Reached out to Edd who is still shaken, looked at him with resignation after hearing what he said.

  
But then the look turned to horror.

  
"Look Out! Sam... " Eddy didn't finish, but it was too late.

  
Sam felt a sharp, hard object thrust into the back of his head, followed by a severe pain. Suddenly he felt as if he had lost all his strength and fell to the ground.

  
I'm sorry......Gilly, little Sam, and......little Jon who is still unborn. He apologized and prayed over and over in his heart. But now she and his best friend could never know. 

  
Dimly, he seems to see a dragon in the distance breathing fire, sweeping up the enemy.

  
Maybe the dragon queen isn't so bad after all, he thought.

  
And now my watch has ended. 

  
Samwell Tarly closed his eyes.  


**Jorah**

  
He wielded his Valyrian steal to slay a dead, whose skull rolled to the ground like a fallen rotten apple, making no sound in the chaos of battle.

  
Jorah looked around, feeling uneasy. The situation was not ideal. Even with fire and Dragonglass, they seemed overwhelmed by the hordes of the dead.

  
A sense of premonition hovered in his mind.

  
What if her dragon gets hurt? What if Jon Snow isn't enough to protect her?

  
He needs to find his queen, his Khaleesi, the girl he watched growing up from the beginning. He needs to make sure she's okay.

  
This is his second chance. Since his encounter with almost death, he can't afford the possibility of losing her again.

  
Jorah chopped off a walker’s head again and turned. Only to find the red haired priestess standing in the doorway of the wall opposite him. Her pale blue eyes shining so brightly as if she could ignite everyone's weapons again.

  
He never believed in prophecy or what people saw in the flames. His only faith was Daenerys, his queen. But after he had just witnessed what she was capable of, he could not help but begin to show his respect to this woman, he couldn't help but pray.

  
"A fine sword you have, " remarked Melisandre.

  
He wanted to ask her if she had seen the outcome of the battle, if Daenerys was safe.

  
"When the time comes, Jorah the Andals, you will know what to do. " she said finally.

  
Jorah knows what he's going to do.

  
He will find Daenerys.  


**Daenerys**

  
Maybe she indeed was too distracted. What is happening now is completely of out her expectation. Was this also part of Jon Snow's plan? Telling her the truth at a time like this to make her fall? Her suspicious part guessed. In that moment she had never been so afraid, that this tragic death, her, the mother of dragons, falling from her own child would be her final. But in the end, Drogon protected her by using his body to shield her. Her dragon lay gasping on the ground, blood streaming from his wounded wing, clearly it was hard to take off now. Daenerys struggled to her feet and looked at her son, furious.

  
How dare them? How dare they hurt her child like that!

  
Ahead, Night King, the monster who is responsible for all of this, also rose and walked step by step in the direction towards Brandon Starks. The chill vibe he gave off made Daenerys shiver.

  
I am the blood of the dragon. I am the blood of the dragon. She picked up the dragonglass sword of the fallen soldier beside her, brushed away the silver hair that lay before her, said it over and over in her mind.

  
I will bring fire and blood to my enemies.

  
Daenerys walked forward, gradually speeded up into running. Her breath grew heavier and faster. She was close, so close.

  
Suddenly Night King stopped and turned. His eyes were like fire that burns cold. He held out his hands, and the same blue eyes opened in the snow.

  
No, no, no, no.

  
Drogon!

  
Then she realized what she had done. Because of her momentary anger, she left her children behind! Daenerys tried to turn back, but it was too late. The hordes of the dead were already in the way. She could only pray that Drogon would be safe, which was funny, because she had never been a person who prayed.

  
Daenerys turned to face those terrible blue eyes.

  
As she was pondering how to deal with this situation, a dragon's roar came from in front of her.

  
Jon shows up on the back of Rhaegal.

  
Is he come to watch me get killed? She thought miserably.

  
A look of shock came over his face at the sight, and then, it turned into anger. The same fire as hers burned in his eyes.

  
"Dracarys, " she heard him say, as the flames shot out of Rhaegal's mouth, the dead around Daenerys burned into ashes. Then he struck again, aiming his full force at Night King.

  
Daenerys's eyes widened in disbelief. At that moment, she could no longer find the bastard of Winterfell in Jon Snow. The silent northern White Wolf had disappeared.

  
No, at that moment, she saw Aegon Targaryen.

  
Tears were streaming down her eyes. For the first time in forever, she truly felt that she was not alone, she was not the last Targaryen.

  
Family, real family. Viserys may have been her brother, but he never made her feel that way.

  
Maybe he really is her brother's son, maybe she was wrong, her nephew, he does love her.

  
So why was he avoiding her before?

  
The flames extinguished and brought Daenerys back to reality. Night King stood still, unscathed, staring darkly at them. He waved his hands again, and another wave of blue eyes opened.  
She and Jon gasped at the same moment and looked at each other.

  
The hordes of dead gathered again. Rhaegal attacked immediately, shaking his body. But their numbers grew more and more. Soon they were on the dragon's legs and back. Night king turned leisurely and continue his walk in the direction of the Godswood.

  
"Go! " daenerys shouted to him. She could not lose him. If she died, he would be her only heir.

  
"No! I will not leave you! " Said Jon, as stubborn as ever, his voice nearly trembling. Daenerys smiled wryly. Perhaps there was nothing in the world that could persuade this man to change his mind, and that was one of the reasons she loved him.

  
She could let Rhaegal take him away if she gave the order. He might hate her for it, but at least it would save his life, and that was enough.

  
I love you, Jon Snow.

  
Just as Daenerys was about to open her mouth and command Rhaegal, a broadsword pierced a dead that was about to pounce on her.

  
Grey Worm has come with the unsullied.

  
"Protect our queen, " Jon said to grey worm. "Run! There's no time! "

  
No, no, she can't leave him like this. What about Brandon Stark? Shouldn't he be protecting him?

  
"Let me ride Rhaegal, " said Daenerys. How could he? He can't just give her hope and leave her! "You go to your brother. This is the Queen's order. "

  
For a moment, Jon froze. She saw a pained look on his face, but in the end, he sighed and made his choice.

  
"No...... I'm sorry, Your Grace, " Jon said, grimacing as he faced Grey Worm. "Go now. I'll hold them here. Take her to safety. "

  
"And please find Bran after this. " he requested finally.

  
Grey Worm nodded. Rhaegal burst out flames, clearing a path for them. Before Daenerys could resist, she was pulled away from Jon. The dense horde of the dead immediately flooded the freshly opened exit. Then, she could no longer see him.

  
  
**Arya**

  
Arya let out a deep breath to calm herself. The image of Beric Dondarrion's death still lingered in her mind. She had not felt so frightened in a long time. She had brought death to every place she passed, it had been her weapon for so long, until this time, it was coming after her.

  
No, she's trained by the faceless men in the House of black and white. The faceless men don't fear. The faceless men don't feel anything.

  
But she's also Arya Stark of Winterfell, the girl who loves her family, who longs to be with them, who will never be a lady. She used to think that the revenge will bring her the peace she has always long to have, but as days went by with more and more blood on her hands, she realized it didn’t, what she lost could never return, the joy at the start of taking the life of her enemies slowly turn into an emptiness feeling, an ash like taste in her mouth, and add more scenario in her nightmares. It’s all an endless circle. That is what she learn in the end. That is also why she decided to return to the North when she heard the news of her brother, because this time, she will fight to protect her home, she will fight for the living.

She thought of Gendry, his smile, his strong hands, the way he touched her, the promise they made to each other early this night, that if they both survived, they would travel together to explore the west of Westeros. With him, she felt safe and free, he was her new reason to live.

  
"What do we say to the god of death? "  
"Not today. "

  
So this time, she will fight for hope.

Sansa is staying in the crypt, she should be fine. Only thing she needs to do now is to find Bran. With the current situation, she's not sure Theon Greyjoy can hold them long.

  
Arya stepped out of the dilapidated corridor and saw something that almost made her heart stop for a beat.

  
Ghost stood before her, her brother's direwolf, his ear half bitten off, his blood red eyes looking straight into the depths of her soul. Sometimes, in her years of wandering, she would dream of him, it was as if Jon had been there for her. Her brother, the one who gave her Needle, the one and only person in her heart that will always remind her the way of home, so that she wouldn't lose herself. After all that time apart, he seemed to treat her as he had always did before, his favorite little sister.

And the dragon queen, at first she had some doubts when Sansa told her the situation they are gonna face. But then when she actually saw her, saw them, the thought started to fade little by little. She always fancies Targaryen women as a kid. Daenerys Targaryen was indeed as strong and beautiful as stories had describe them. And after Gendry told her about their experience beyond the Wall, she even begin to feel shame of even thinking about her like that. The women saved him and Jon, sacrifice a dragon, agree to help before her brother promise her anything in return. She didn’t know what had gotten to her to believe in Sansa in the first place instead of her brother. And she even called her “smart” in front of him. Only the old gods know how blind she was. That was the Lannisters’ way of thinking, not theirs. She saw the way the had looked at each other, her brother had never been so happy, so much in love. And that was all that matters to her, she was happy for them, happy for Jon.

  
And now she felt that something had happened to him.

  
Arya turned and ran after Ghost.

  
She'll protect her family.  
  


  
**Jon**

  
When he saw the tears in Daenerys's eyes, nothing else mattered to him anymore. He just wanted to keep her safe.

  
"You know nothing, Jon Snow." said Ygritte before she died, and then he lost her forever. She was right. How stupid he was to realize it….He almost let the history repeat itself.  
He swore, he would never put Daenerys in that kind of danger again.

  
So when Grey Worm showed up, Jon knew he had to make a choice.

  
He had never expected Dany to mention Bran, which stung him. He would never abandon his brother, knowing that time that Theon Greyjoy could buy was limited and that the Night King was already moving in his direction. But now there was no time to waste on their side. If he didn't do something soon, they'd all be dead, Dany would be dead too. He was so close to losing her. He didn't want to experience it again.

  
And just like that, he disobeyed the Queen's order. Watching her disappear from his sight and felt a sense of relief. He could only pray in silence that the gods would keep her safe and that he and Rhaegal would get out of this place as soon as possible to go help Bran.

  
Apparently, his prayers seemed hardly work. As Rhaegal wagged his tail and fluttered his wings in an attempt to shake off the dead that was crawling over him, Jon, unfortunately, lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground. Rhaegal roars and shakes himself into the air with a mass of dead weight. Jon gets up in pain and pulls out Long Claw.

  
Great, He thought ironically , now his only option is to kill his way out of here.

  
But there are so many of them. So many.

  
Jon stabs one in the heart, pulls out and chops off the other's head. The same action kept on going in countless times. He steps forward, knows he has to, but then he stumbles on a bone, the two walkers immediately fell upon him. He struggled to resist the sharp knife that was about to strike his heart.

  
Just then, the walker’s throat was cut. And the other one was brought down by a white shadow.

  
Jon looked up. Arya, his little sister reaching out to him, seemed a little shaken. Ghost was beside her, ready to attack.

  
Jon took her hand which was no longer so small, got up and comfort her, feeling his heart full of warmth.

  
  
**Daenerys**  
  
In the old days when she and Viserys were in exile in Essos, escape was one of their unavoidable options. It’s always like that, from one place to another. And now she felt like she was doing exactly the same thing. The unsullied around them ran and fought, their number became fewer and fewer. The fallen ones rose again to join the enemy. And all she could do was run.

  
Damn you, Jon Snow. She cursed him in her heart, that he had put himself in danger by pushing her away, that he had put her in such a shamful position.

  
Grey Worm will take her to the crypt at Winterfell, where everyone assume to be the safest place, though Daenerys remains doubtful. Then they will lead their army to protect Bran. Drogon is nowhere to be seen and she can not fight, She knew hiding was the right thing to do, what she should do, what Jon wanted her to do. But deep down in her heart she knew she was resisting it.

  
A Queen must always stays with her people.

  
She's a dragon. Dragons never hide.

  
All their plans were thrown into disarray when the blue cold flame came out from Viserion.

  
"Protect our Queen! " Cried Grey Worm to the unsullied beside him, ordering a soldier to take Daenerys behind a wall.

  
She heard the voice of Viserion’s thunder-like roar, the sound of the walls and roofs collapse around her, and the screams of her soldiers as they were consumed by the cold flames.

  
Daenerys clung to the wall, trembling, never feeling so powerless, she felt as if her heart was bleeding.

  
Is this the way you lead your people, Daenerys Targaryen? Hiding like a coward, leave them to face death and destruction? She asked herself.

  
No, she is a Dragon, and if her people are doomed to perish, she must join them too.

  
She turned and stepped out from behind the wall to face her long dead child.

  
What she saw lifted her heart to her throat.

  
Grey worm stood before Viserion, sword in hand. Seeing Daenerys, his mouth drawn in a line, eyes determined.

  
"I'm sorry, my Queen, " he said, his voice full of apology. "Tell Missandei...... "

  
Before he could finish his words, blue fire engulfed and consumed him completely.

  
"No! " Cried Daenerys, tears streaming down as if to burn her cheeks. Grey Worm, loyal and faithful Grey Worm, who had followed her since she liberated him from Astapor was dead, all for protecting her!

  
Viserion recharges. Daenerys knows her end is near.

  
How ironic, instead of falling off her own child and die, she was about to be killed by her another child.

  
She closed her eyes.

  
Suddenly, she heard another roar. Viserion let out a wild scream, as if something had hit him.

  
Daenerys opened her eyes. It was Drogon. Drogon had returned to protect his mother.

  
Viserion was thrown aside by his brother's blow. Drogon dropped to her side and crouched.

  
I'm sorry, Drogon. I'll never leave you again. Thought Daenerys as she climbed upon him, stroking his fin.

  
She took him off. Viserion rolled over, ready to attack again.

  
"DRACARY! " She shouted with her whole strength.

  
The orange-red flame and the ice blue flame shoot out at the same time. The two forces opposed each other, as if the sky were to be illuminated by these two beams of light. A white mist spread over it. In the end the red flame prevailed and shot straight out. Viserion was knocked down, hitting the ground as hard as a falling stone, his face shattered in pieces.

  
Daenerys hoped that her son would finally rest in peace.

  
She knew exactly what she need to do next.

  
Daenerys clasped her dragonglass sword in her hand and signaled Drogon to take off.

  
She will keep her word to Jon. She will keep Bran Stark safe.

  
She will avenge Grey Worm.

  
Dragons never hide.  


**Jon**

  
If you had asked Jon years ago, he never would have imagined that one day he would be standing here, fighting alongside his favorite little sister.

  
And he never would have imagined they could collaborate so well. All it took for them was eye contact to figure out what the other was up to and what to do next, as they had done when they were still children at Winterfell. Two people fought their way through the chaos as if answering to each other.

  
He was shocked by Arya's fighting skills. He finally understood how House Frey had got their end. He had heard of her training in Braavos, and he knew that years of wandering had changed her. But as he watched his sister moved so quick and clean, Jon couldn't help but be proud of her.

  
Things were looking up, there were fewer and fewer enemies around. Soon they should be able to move forward to find Bran. Jon wielded his sword, struck a dead as it approached Arya. She too threw the dragonglass from her waist and stabbed the one behind him.

  
She's all grown up. It occurred to Jon.

  
He turned to look Arya in the eye and smiled, but only to find her face froze.

  
Blood poured from her chest.  
  
  
**Daenerys**

  
It's close. She’s getting closer.

  
Daenerys had Drogon lower himself, determination burns like a flame in her chest.

  
Finally, through the thick fog, she looked down and saw Theon Greyjoy who had already fallen to the ground. Daenerys mourned his death. Brandon Stark was sitting by a heart tree, watching the Night King's approach coldly, raising his murderous hand.

  
Now!

  
Daenerys spotted the position, command Drogon again. Fire attacked the white walkers nearby. Then she gripped the hilt of her sword and leapt from her child.

  
It was the final blow, even though she might die with him.

  
Her sword was pointed straight at the Night King. Just when she was about to stab him in the back, he suddenly turned around and seized Daenerys by her throat. His terrible eyes seeing through everything.

  
She began to struggle, breathing harder and harder, and her vision became blurred. Then, she seemed to see a figure behind Night King.

  
As it approached, she recognized the figure was Sir Jorah.

  
No, she has already lost Grey Worm. Don't let her lose him too!

  
Jorah swung his Valyrian sword. With a single thrust, the Night King and the other White Walkers broke into thousand pieces, and the hordes of the dead fell with them.

  
" Khaleesi! " 

  
Those were the last words Daenerys heard before she passed out.

  
She hopes Jon is okay.  
  
  
**Jon**

  
Jon felt like his breath is going to stop.

  
His little sister flopped to the ground like a leaf. Jon killed the dead behind her in rage, almost crawling over her.

  
"Arya! Arya! " He called her name frantically. Blood, so much blood. He tried to put his hand over her chest to stop the bleeding, but it did nothing but paint his hands red. He cried and shoted, not noticing that the enemies around them were falling like puppets.

  
"It's all right, brother... " his sister said with her last strength, her blood-stained hand touching his face.

  
"I protected you. " She smiled at him. Her hand dropped. The last trace of warmth slipping from her body.

  
Ghost walked over silently, his head resting on Arya's side. Rhaegal flew back, also mourning for his rider.

  
The Long Night is over.

  
Jon dropped his head and burst into tears.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany made a choice. Jon started to look back and get lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there is any mistake or some more proper words and phrases I could use to make it better. Please do tell me in the comments.

**Daenerys**

Daenerys watched mournfully as Jon walked over to Arya Stark's body on the pyre and kissed her cold forehead. Tears fell on his sister's ashen face. Then he turned and touched his best friend Samwell Tarly's shoulder with a trembling hand.

She remembered the day she woke up from her coma. Thought of all the people who had died in the battle, she couldn't help crying.

She looked at Missandei beside her, her maid’s eyes still red and worn. She had wept her tears dry long before she told her the words that Grey Worm did not finished. There was not even a body left of her loyal general. Daenerys’ s heart was filled with remorse at the poor look of her.

If she had been more careful, putting her feelings aside, she might not have fallen off Drogon. If she had been more prompt, let Rhaegal take Jon away, or be more firm, insist on letting him go to protect Bran Stark. Grey Worm may not die protecting her, and Arya Stark may not die too.

But time can’t be rewound, and the long night had passed. There is no way to bring back what is lost anymore. She thought reluctantly. Like all the others before, Daenerys thought of Ser William who had looked after her and Viserys when they still little children behind that red door, Ser Barristan, who died fulfilling his oath to her, Khal Drogo, her sun-and-stars, and her son Rhaego who was never born. They left hope for the living, and the living will carry on with all of their memories.

Daenerys raised her head and looked to Jon. She knew that him as warden of the North and leader of this battle, should now make a speech in honor of the dead. However, he just walked back into the line with his pale face, his dark brown eyes were as still as stagnant water, staring blankly in Arya's direction.

She understands. He loved his sister too much and it was too painful.

She had to do something for him.

Daenerys stepped forward and opened her mouth to the crowd. 

"I know I'm not from the North, " she said, taking a deep breath and straightening herself, "I just came here, like everyone else, to fight for our future. And now, as one of them, we stand here today to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters. To our fathers and mothers. To our friends. Our fellow men and women."

She looked again at Jon, who remained silent. She remembered what he had said to her on that boat, and what he had told her about his experiences on the Wall，started to think about what he would have said.

"They fight together, and die together, so that others might live. I never believed in Gods, but I do hope that Gods is our witness today, everyone in this world owes them a debt that can never be repaid. It is our duty and our honor to keep them alive in memory, for those who come after us, and those who come after them…..."

"Just as Dothraki’s belief, their souls will turned into stars that lighten the sky. And also as the Night’s Watch has sworn, for as long as men draw breath, they were the shields that guarded the realms of men. And we shall never see their like again."

Then she said it again in Valyrian and Dothraki.

Daenerys took the torch from Ser Jorah and handed it to Jon, who looked up at last and stared at her for a long time. His eyes, which had always been prone to melancholy even before, this time looking almost desperate. The sight broke her heart, but she knew he had to do it.

Finally, with a long sigh, her nephew took the torch.

Jon and she, Ser Jorah and Lord Commander Edd each walked up to Arya Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Beric Dondarrion and Samwell Tarly’s bodies and lit their pyre.

As fire slowly covered the dead, the people in the square began to leave. Jon fled almost immediately. Daenerys couldn’t blame him. If Ser Jorah had been the one that’s lying there, she might have done the same. Just the thought of it has already made her shiver.

In the end, She and Missandei were the few who were still here. Daenerys watched the fire dancing , her thoughts restless.

Grey Worm's death was still vivid in her mind, also the screams of the soldiers in her ears kept on ringing. Those terrible scene of them eaten alive by the flames, how painful that might be, all because of her, because of her dragon. She knew that people die in the war, but it was the first time she had actually witnessed it so closely with her own eyes. 

Motho, one of her Dothraki commander, took one last glance at his brother Zekko on the pyre and left. Yesterday night when Daenerys was checking on her people, sat by the fire beside them, he told her about him, how strong he was, how brave he had fought and how much he missed his wife and daughters who he left in Vaes Dothrak. Which made Daenerys felt even sadder, now would he never have the chance to see them and his children will never see their father again, all because they chose to fight for her in this foreign land.

This is what war does to people, death, regrets and never-ending sorrow.

And now she has to lead her people to more wars, more deaths.

She may lose more, her men, Jorah, Missandei, Tyrion……

She remembered what she had been thinking in the crypt before the battle began. All she was worried about was herself and the possibility of losing her claim. How selfish of her. She completely ignored what harm her actions might do to those around her, and what they might mean to them.

She used to tell everyone with confidence that she cared about her people, cared about the innocents, and now look at the irony.

She used to think it was her destiny to rule, to free people from cruel tyrants was her goal. But what kind of queen would destroy a tyrant at the expense of her people? How is she anything different from them?

And Samwell Tarly, Jon’s best friend....gods, he saved Jorah, gave him the sword which in the end helped her unexpectedly, without him both of them would be dead right now. And what an ungrateful cruel way she had repaid him, by setting his father and brother on fire. Now that he is gone, she couldn’t even make a more proper apology to him.

Guilt continued swallowing Daenerys. She had crossed the narrow sea with all her effort to win back her throne. But now, after what she had been through that night, she wasn’t sure……

She wasn’t sure if she still wanted that chair anymore.

If the Iron Throne is not her ultimate goal, then who is she? Where will she go? She couldn't help but think about the questions that had frightened her before.

"Are you all right, Your Grace? " Missandei asked, seeing her face troubled.

"I’m all right, " said Daenerys, looking back and smiling at her advisor, not wanting to worry her. "What about you? What do you want to do now? " She knew what it was like to lose the one you love. She wanted to be there for her, take her for a walk in the Godswood or braid her messy hair, just like she had always done for her.

Missandei lowered her head and sighed, looked up with the same smile, wiped away the tears with her hands quickly, which made Daenerys's eyes wet.

"I am all right, Your Grace, " she said, after a moment's silence she spoke again, as if the words she was about to say were so cherished but at the same time painful to her, "He asked me where I wanted to go when it was over. I told him I wanted to go back to Naath, where I was born. He promised that he would protect me, that he would take me home...... "

Home, yes, Daenerys realized. Going home, having a family and to be loved and needed, this was also what she had been doing her whole life, what she really wanted. She thought as Viserys said, Westeros, the throne room of the Red Keep was her home, but was it really?

She thought of the time before she came to this land, when she still had three dragons and Grey Worm, with unsullied and Dothraki armies, Ser Jorah, Missandei, Darrio were always by her side. They liberated the cities of Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen. Her people believed in her and supported her. Although Essos is a place full of danger, even in her most difficult moments, she has never really been short of help and companionship, she already had a family and a place of her own. But ever since she came here, she felt as if she were losing those things step by step.

She used to think she is going to break the wheel, to build a better world, a good world, others can either live in it or die with the old one. But look at what she did now. Does she really know what is good? Are there not things in this world that are already good enough?

She thought of the red door of her childhood in Braavos and the lemon tree in front of it, those simple and peaceful life, her few happy moments.

She thought of Jon, his beautiful eyes, his kind and honorable soul.

No, Westeros was never her home. During these days here, she knew and felt it clearly that the people here did not love her. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that what she was searching was an illusional unreachable dream of her ancestors and brother, a time that has already lost. No, Essos is her true home, where the good and beautiful things were, and yet she left behind those people who really need her, forcing her own will to the people here that might not actually want it. That’s right, ruling seven kingdoms was never her goal, it was never herself as Daenerys truly wanted. She only did so because she thought she was the last of her family and it’s her duty to take everything back. But it was a lie, she was not alone and she doesn’t have to do it anymore. Suddenly, Daenerys finds out ironically that she's been looking back her whole life, and she foolishly thinks that's the way forward.

Maybe it's time to turn around and move on.

But what about Cersei Lannister?

What about Jon?

A voice in Daenerys's head asked. She can't just leave behind the innocents under Cersei’s rule while she has the ability to stop her. And Jon……

She loved him, not like anyone she had ever loved before. That night when he rode Rhaegal to her rescue, all doubts she had about him disappeared. He was not only the man she loved the most, but also a part of her family, real family. She was sure about his feeling for her. It’s just that something stopped him. Now that she think about it, Daenerys understands. Jon had grown up in the north, honor was running in his vein. If he only wanted her to be his aunt, then Daenerys would respect him and treat him as her own blood as well.

The part of her that belonged to that little girl still secretly hoped that they could live together, that they could leave all this behind and go to that waterfalls. But Daenerys knew it was a dream that would never come true. Her duty won't allow it. His honor won't too.

And……

Daenerys touched her belly and swallowed the bitterness of her throat.

Jon united the wildlings, took back Winterfell from Ramsay Snow for his cousins, he then unified the north, persuaded the lords to stop the Night King for all of humanity, and he bent his kneel for her help, even though she didn’t ask him to do so. He had been the shield of the realm all his life, fighting for others. As far as she knew, this selfless man, the true heir of the seven kingdoms, had never fight anything for himself.

He sacrificed almost everything, lost so much, yet he still chose to did it, never ask things in return.

Perhaps the true fit to sit on the Iron Throne is the one who doesn't want it. Perhaps the rightful heir should take what’s rightfully his.

And this time, the thought of it didn’t scare her anymore. On the contrary, it was like a relief, like a long term burden that finally leaves her.

She started all of this because she wanted to do best for the people, and maybe this is it, this is how to do it.

So many people have fought for her. Perhaps it's time she, Daenerys Targaryen, did something for others.

Even though what she’s gonna do next will pain her forever and probably hurt him. But she knows she has to. They have to. There are no other ways.

You need to put your feelings aside and do what's right and the best for your people, do what a queen should do. That’s the advice Tyrion gave her in Meereen, she remembered. Yes, it's time for her to fullfill her duty as queen.

All men must serve，and women too.

"We will go home, Missandei, we will，" said Daenerys, embracing her. "I will bring you home, I promise. "

A decision is made.

  
**Jon**

The feast began. People started to chat and eat the food on the table. Jon looked up wearily, picked up the cup in front of him and gulped down the liquid inside, his only cure now.

After that night, in his nightmares all the people who had died opened their blue eyes, their broken faces seemed to question and torture him in the cruelest way. No matter how he tried to burn and kill them, there seems to have no end. 

Whenever he closed his eyes, the sight of Arya's death and Sam's lifeless body would come to his mind, and his hands were red.

He couldn't help feeling that he was the one who had killed them.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Jon told his little sister again and again in his heart. He failed to protect her, and instead she died trying to save him. He failed her. She should never have come to him in the first place.

He prayed that the gods would let her hear his apology, but what kind of God would be this cruel as to take her away from him so soon after his reunion with her? He thought of the darkness after his death. Maybe there were never any gods. If there were, then they were a bunch of heartless butchers who played with humans.

Aye, tell him about it. Robb, Rickon, Sam, Arya……. All the people he couldn't save. The world is a cruel and dark place and it takes away everything that is good.

There was a laugh in the crowd, probably because of their conversation. People talked and talked, as if all the sacrifices had never happened, as if lives still go on as usual. It made Jon feel a sort of strange anger, his head was in a whirl, he couldn't tell whether this feeling of him was to others or to himself.

What's the point of all this? He tried to defend the North with all his effort yet he can't save his little sister and best friend. What is the fucking point? 

"You should save your drink for later, brother. " Sansa reminded him in a whisper, frowning, worried about his brother's condition, "I know you're in pain, and so am I. But you need to pull yourself together. The lords and our people are watching. "

Then his cousin put on her cold northern lady mask again, smiled and nodded to the people in front of them, a look that reminded him of Catelyn Stark that sent a chill through his heart. And then more anger comes with it.

Arya is dead, their sister, and all she cares about is whether the lords are happy or not……

When he brought Daenerys and her army and three dragons to support the north, almost all the lords were united in their immediate opposition, who knows what Sansa said to his people about him in his absence……

Perhaps she never cared about them. When he chose to fight Ramsay Snow to save Rickon, Sansa, who had the support of the Vale but never told him about it. If he knew he could rethink his strategy. They could have saved Rickon instead of letting all those soldiers died for nothing. She knew it full well that in order to take back Winterfell, she chose to let Rickon die…….And maybe she wanted him dead too.

No! He can't think about her like that. How could he? Jon took a deep breath and tried to dismiss the nonsense. No, Sansa is also his sister. He loved her, and he knew she did, too.

But she's not the same girl you grew up with anymore, and she didn’t like you just like her mother even before. Your sister has changed, and your other most trusted sister is gone. The voice continued in his head.

And what about Bran? Jon looked at his expressionless brother who was sitting on that wheelchair. There was not even a single tear dropped or trace of sadness on the boy's face when they burned their sister's body. His brother had become something that he could bearly recognized.

The famliy he used to longing the most is now only an empty cold shell of the past.

"Shut up! " He growled in a low voice at himself in his mind, but accidently let his words slipped out of his mouth, startled Sansa. Her perfect mask cracked, fear flashed across her face. Realizing what he had done, Jon cursed himself in his heart.

"Sorry. ”He said awkwardly, taking another sip of ale and glancing away. Then he meet Daenerys' eyes, which were still so beautiful in their gold-blue color, looking at him now with a worried look. Jon felt as if he were sinking into them. 

If there was one thing that made him feel any better, it was her, his aunt, his queen, the love of his life. At least he protected her, sort of.

It might sounds strange, he think that he had falling in love with her ever since he first saw her on Dragonstone, from that moment he knew in his heart that she was the one he was searching his whole life, the part that was missing. He was happy, he was so happy to be by her side, she loved him and treated him as equal when he was just a Snow, he never felt so alive and free when he was with her, like he finally find something that was close to call home. He love her with all his heart, he knew he would do anything for her.

Tyrion Lannister peered out from behind her, looked at him thoughtfully which interrupted the moment. For a while, Jon felt like he was being treated like a child, which annoyed him. The last thing he wanted to do is to worry his queen.

"I'm all right, Your Grace. " he said, forcing a smile at Dany, turning his head away from the nagging suspicion the Imp still cast at him.

Dany nodded, turned to her feet, took a deep breath and sighed, as if about to announce something. Jon wondered what was so important.

He used to be very certain that if he survived the long night, he would help her take the iron throne and then leave to guard the north. But now, after that long and terrible battle, he's not so sure anymore…….

The sight of Dany falling from Drogon and being surrounded by the dead still made his heart tremble. Her tears made him feel only rage at their enemies. At that moment, he just wanted to take her to the that waterfalls and hide her from this evil world forever.

She was one of the only few things left that he cared about, and the thought of leaving her now made him feel even more painful.

"I'm sorry to disrupted you, my lords and ladies of the North and all the warriors who defend Winterfell, " said Dany, interrupted Jon's thoughts. The crowd stopped and stared at their queen. "I've brought my armies and dragons into this battle. As a queen and any proper rulers, it's their duty to protect the innocent. And in the end, we've won. "

"However, I made a mistake. My help was not without cost. I accepted your king's allegiance in exchange for my support. I now understand that this is contrary to my vow that I had sworn before. Allow me to express my deepest apologies for it, " she said, with a determined look. Suddenly Jon realized that the decision she was about to make would be the one he feared the most.

"I hereby declare that I, Daenerys Stromborn of House Targaryen, the Queen of Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen, now return my right of the North to its rightful owner, the people of the North who really deserve it. Jon Snow will remain the king in the North. In a few days I will leave with my men to fight Cersei Lannister and free her people from her tyranny. My lords, you can join us with this fight or you can stay and rebuild your home. This is all up to you."

Crowd uproar. The Imp, Ser Jorah and Varys looked shocked. Sansa frowned then smiled. She got the independence she had always wanted, and it looked as if she had finally realized that Daenerys is a good queen. But the belated praise only made Jon feel strangely disgusted. He had tried so hard to persuade her.

Daenerys was going to leave him, Jon thought blankly. He knew what she meant. Before he could make up his mind to do it she had already made the choice for him. She had helped him save the north, lit the fire in his heart that he couldn't let go, and now she's leaving him.

Why? Jon couldn't understand. Wasn’t it always her goal to unite the seven Kingdoms and sit on the iron throne? What good is an independent North to her? She should know he didn't want any crowns or thrones, so why would she give one back to him? No, no, no. Has she lost her mind? Without the North's support, plus nearly half the unsullied and Dothraki who died during the long night, how can she fight Cersei with the force she has now?

No, he won't let her go alone. He had sworn. He had already lost Arya. He can't let her lose her life too.

It's time to step up.

Just as the Imp and Varys were about to ask questions, Jon got up first and speak up.

"The North appreciate your support, Your Grace, " he said, looking at her. The crowd grew quiet and listened to their king. Her eyes were full of trust, but for some reason it only made Jon feel more and more unsettled, "Lannister is our enemy too, As long as they exist, they will be a threat to the north. You fought for us, and now we will fight for you. You have my word."

"Good, then we shall fight together as allies against tyrants. " She smiled at him and nodded contentedly, but no longer as she had before, not as Dany to Jon, but Daenerys Targaryen to Jon Snow, the King in the North……Aegon Targaryen, he trembled with fear at the thought. His heart sank.

"To Queen Daenerys! " Sansa was the first to rise after a while of silence.

"To Queen Daenerys! " People repeated.

"To the King in the North! " Said Daenerys, raising her cup.

"To the King in the North! " People repeated again.

"To Ser Jorah Mormont, the hero of Winterfell! " Jon said mechanically at last, raising his cup feebly. Then again, he did have Ser Jorah to thank for being the one who really protected her in the end. From the moment he met the old man on Dragonstone, he knew it right away that he loved her, as Jon does now. He had succeeded in what he had failed to do.

Part of him hoped that he was the one who killed the Night King, who killed his sister and best friend and almost killed Dany. Since his fateful meeting with the devil at Hardhome, he almost believed that this was his ultimate goal, that nothing else mattered. But in the end he failed. He always failed.

None of this makes any fucking sense.

A sour taste rose in Jon's throat. He gulped down a few more mouthfuls of wine, trying to swallow it back.

As the feast went on, Daenerys called in Gendry Waters, legitimized him as Gendry Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End. He was probably the only one here as unhappy as Jon, later that night he told him about his experience with Arya, and his love for her, which only made Jon feel sadder. His sister had experienced love for the first time, but had no chance to see her lover again. They had a lot in common, Gendry shared his pain, he knew he didn't want to be a lord either, but Daenerys gave it to him anyway. Jon watched Gendry bow and walked back, his lost figure told him that he would never be happy again.

This might also be his fate. Though Daenerys is still there, but what has just happened makes him realize that he, too, may soon lose her, not her life……

But her love.

All because of his damn, useless honor.

It's funny how, before the battle, he might not agree with what she was doing, but he will respect and admire her more for her generous and kind heart he always know she had. Yet now all her options confused and terrified him

The feast neared its climax, the drunks grew louder and louder, making Jon even more uncomfortable. Some lords and northern soldiers who fight besides Theon Greyjoy and saw what happened went to Daenerys and thanked her for saving their lives, she returned the favor then went sat down with the Dothraki, one of the soldiers stood up, announcing something loudly in their language. He could tell by his body moments that he was describing her battle with Viserion and the Night King. Dany listened attentively and laughed from time to time. Then all the Dothraki went on to raise their cups together.

"To Khaleesi! " They said, and then they quaffed. Dany smiled and drank too.

All Jon could feel was that she was getting further and further away from him.

You pushed her away in the first place, remember? You.

For a moment, Jon felt a twinge in his head. Maybe he hadn't slept well last night, or maybe he had bumped his head during the battle, or maybe drinking like that hurt his body.

He needs a break. He needs some fresh air.

Jon left his seat and went into the chamber at the end of the hallway behind the great hall. He stared at the fireplace and took a deep breath.

He turned and found Daenerys follow him, standing in the doorway behind.

“Are you drunk?” She asked.

“Just a little.” He sighed. He wish he could do it fully but the strange thing is that no matter how much he drank it only bring him headache.

“Me too." she said, moving slowly toward him with an apologetic look on her face, " I'm sorry about your sister. I didn’t know her well. But I know this. If she could have chosen a way to go, it would have been protecting Winterfell, protecting you. Arya Stark died a hero. "

"She was the one I missed the most at the Wall. After I heard what happened in King's Landing, all I wanted to do was to join my brother to find her and protect her, " Jon replied, walking towards her too, think back to those time, now only thing he felt about it is bitterness, "But then my duty stopped me. And when I finally had a chance to do it, I failed her. "

His eyes traced to her face.

"……But you're here, Dany, You’re safe…... "

He shouldn't have said what he was going to say, which is not right. But he was tired of doing the right thing.

"I love her, but in a different way. Not like I love you, I’ve never loved anyone like the way I love you. "  
  


“...Is that alright?”

There was a flicker in her blue-gold eyes, but soon pity and sorrow blurred the line. Jon hated himself for making her feel that way. Daenerys’s silver hair was streaked with gold in the firelight. Her delicate face was tinged with pink from the ale she drank. She looked so beautiful, Jon thought.

She pursed her lips, they were as red as the sweetest berries.

What if this is his second chance? Does that mean that this time he can have a life of his own? He remembered asking himself the same question before.

He should have told her to go back to Ser Jorah before he worried, he should have kept his distance, but he knew now clearly that he could no longer control himself.

Targaryens marry each other, right?

The part of him that was still Eddard Stark's son shook his head at him, rebuked himself with a stern look. He used to look up to the man and try so hard to follow in his footsteps, but Eddard Stark had lied to him. He had never been his father, and learning from him had brought him nothing but pain.

He doesn’t care anymore, he doesn’t want to, he was so tired, so lonely, the only thing he wants now is her.

Fuck honor, fuck duty, fuck Ned Stark.

Jon took Daenerys's face in his hands and kissed her deeply. Almost in a desperate way. Slowly she started to kiss him back gently, as if affected by the moment.

Her lips were soft and sweet as they had been on that boat that night and the first day they came to Winterfell. And when he truly tasted them again, he realized how much he missed them.

He never wanted to be apart from her again, he thought. Never.

While Jon was still living in this dream like moment, he felt her begin to gasp, as if trying to make room for something to say, and then an unknow force separated him from her.

Dany pushed him away and turned, her shoulders heaving.

This movement of her made Jon panicked. Was it because he used too much strength which upset her? Or because he disobeyed her that day and asked Grey Worm to take her away? Or because she was angry at his earlier avoidance of her? If so, he must explain to her, no matter a hundred or thousand times, he must prove himself to her.

"If you're angry because I had been avoiding you before, then I apologize, Dany. You have every right to blame me, " he said, cursing his own stupidity. “I just found out the truth about my birth, I was so confused and I don’t know what to do. I just needed time to think. And I know now that I was wrong, I was blinded by my personal honor, that I couldn't see what we had right in front of me. "

"I don't care if we're related. I don't care. I'm sorry, Dany. I don't ask for your forgiveness...... "

"I love you. And please...... please marry me. " Jon said, his voice almost imploring at the end. He knew it was not the best time to offer a proposal, but he was afraid that if he didn’t say it now, he may lose the chance forever.

Daenerys finally turned back, her eyes a little red, her face confiscated. But then she regained her composure and looked at him blankly, all the emotions in her beautiful eyes disappeared.

“You are drunk and you don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said.

That moment, Jon knew it was too late.  
  


“No, no, I’m not that drunk and I know exactly what I am talking about! I’m.....” He said, trying desperately to save the situation, but was interrupted by her.

"I have something to tell you, Jon. " she continued, her voice strangely steady. "After we have defeated Cersei Lannister, I will return with my people to Essos, to my true home. "

He felt as if he had been hit in the head, his worst fears had come true.

She's really going to leave him……

"I thought you were already home? Isn’t Westeros your home ? " Jon questioned eagerly, he couldn’t understand. "What do you mean, Dany? People need you here. If you leave who's going to take the Iron Throne? "

"You're right, we need someone to take it, we can’t leave people under Cersei’s tyranny," she replied, for a moment he thought she had changed her mind, "But they don't need me here. I saw the way they look at you. So many people have looked at me that way, but never here. People love you, and as I mentioned before that I can’t have children. Westeros needs a proper and rightful ruler who can continue the bloodline. That's why I'm naming you, Jon Snow, as my nephew and heir, Aegon Targaryen, six of his name, to become the King of the seven kingdoms after the war is over."

That's why she returned him the position of the king in the north, so that he could had the North's support in the first place. Jon quiveringly realized that not only would she leave him, but also she would let him carry the burden of the entire realm. What kind of sick joke is this? Was it her revenge on him? Why she still think that witch’s source of information is reliable? Why can’t she just see that prophecies does not mean everything? Anger rising in his chest. Can’t she just hear what he wants? ! Why is she always making decisions for him? 

"I don't want it! I never wanted a throne! I don't care what people think of me and by the others I told you before I don’t believe that witch’s nonsense! Even if it’s true I don’t care! I don’t care if you can have my children or not...... " Jon said agitatedly "All I want is you......"

He had expected his reaction to set her off. But Daenerys closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened them, and resumed her queenly pose.

"It doesn't matter what you want. Once people know the truth, it will take on a life of its own and you won’t be able to control it. " she answered.

Jon felt like his heart was almost in despair. He knew she thought he was naive, but how was she any better? If people don't love the Mad King's daughter, why does she think they will love his grandson, the product of the couple that cause all the wars that are going on today? And the lords...by the gods, he thought of those Night’s Watch brothers who betrayed him, and Olly, the boy he used to trust the most, he knew it very well how fragile people’s loyalty could be, he learned it in a most painful way. Just looked at what Lord Glover did when he brought her to help them. The way they talk to him, they way Sansa talked to him, like he was still a bastard to be pushed around, to follow their orders, like it was some kind of charity that they make him their king. Dany talked about his people’s love for him, but she was wrong. There was no love in being the king in the North. Maybe the free folks did have those feeling towards him, but they are his allies, not the people of “the kneelers’ king” in their way of speaking. Those ungrateful high lords had already doubt him and questioned him in every possible way, they don’t love anyone. The only reason they chose him is because he appeared in that special emergent time and he was Ned Stark’s son. Now that danger had past, and he is not his child, their stubborn wish of a independent north has nothing to do with who their ruler was. If they know who he really is, that he is a Targaryen, it will be hard to avoid a civil war in the North. Some will want the things to stay the same, others will want him out of their sight or kill him to put Sansa or Bran to be their ruler. It does not matter if he was rightful or not, they only want a true Stark. Then the news will spread through seven kingdoms, the war will never ends.

No, the truth will only destroy them.

"Yes, it can be controlled, we can." Jon said, shaking. He held her face in his hands, trying to find a hesitation in her eyes, tears swirling in his, "You don’t understand, they can’t know about it! It’s not like what you think. You didn’t grow up in this land you don’t know what people here were like. People don’t love me. They chose me because I was a Stark, what do you think they will do if they know the truth? That my parents was the ones that started all this? I will be a pretender, a false king in their eyes. It has nothing to do with their marriage. The harm had already caused. Nobody will care their love or my claim it means little for them because there’s nothing I can give them back. They won’t support me and they will betray me....damn it, It’s just a piece of paper they won’t believe......But you, Dany, you’re different, I saw what happen, they change their mind. You and your people are the ones that truly save the North, they know who you are all along and you’ve earned their respect. They will love you. People of Westeros will love you. So please, please Dany, I swear to you, I won't tell anyone who I really am. I'll make Bran swear to keep this secret too. We can tell people nothing, then everything will just stay the same. I will bent the knee again. You can sit on the Iron Throne and be the queen of the seven kingdoms. And If you don't want to be here, then let me come with you to Essos. Let me stay with you. If you promise the same, we can live together. Please……I’m begging you……."

"We can't, I know what is true. I don't belong here, neither of us can lay down our duties. You’re the rightful heir people will rote for you when they know what you did to save the realm. I won’t be your obstacle. I promise.“

“It’s not... god damn it Dany you will never be my obstacle and I told you I don’t care or want...” he sighed in frustration, then realized he has to use another way to convince her. “Cersei won’t make people believe what we’ve done. So many people called themselves king in the past. Stannis is the rightful heir after Robert’s death yet people support Renly. Theon is the rightful heir of Iron Island but people choose Yara. It has nothing to do with being rightful or not. Power is power, You are the one who held it the most. You are the queen that people will choose.”

“You’re not Stannis, you are not Theon. And just like Theon chose his sister. I believe and choose you, Jon Snow, a good and honorable man. Don’t worry, you are my family and I will protect you. I will become your strength and power. I know what Cersei will try to do, that’s why we will take the capital first and host a meeting for all the lords to make sure of people’s support for you before I leave. I won’t tell the secret to public for now, but I must tell Tyrion and Ser Jorah because they are the ones I trust the most, they will help you and speak for you in the meeting. You will be a good king." continued Daenerys, indifferent to his pleading.

"...They want you on the iron throne. If they know, they'll try to get rid of me." Jon said, his voice getting smaller and smaller. He knew he had a friendship with both of them, Tyrion even before. But that was at the time when three of them were serving one queen. Jorah's loyalty to Dany would have made him keep that secret, but the Imp……During those days Jon had grown suspicious of many things in the past, he remembered the terrible advice he had given him at the time, telling him to go to the Wall to catch a white. If it hadn't been for Dany, he would have been dead. Was it just a moment of stupidity on Tyrion Lannister’s part ? He saw the way he looked at her, he knew he loved her too.

"Tyrion defended you before the Lords of the north, Jorah rode with you to the Wall to hunt the dead. You’re their friend and I will make them swear. They will keep their promise, Jon. You have my word. " Daenerys said, slowly pull Jon's hands from her face and let them go with a determined look.

They won't. Tyrion helping him and Jorah went north with him were all for her in the end. If they have to choose between him and Daenerys, they will choose her. If it doesn't matter what he wants, then her vow means nothing too, Jon thought bitterly. But he didn't say anything. She had already made up her mind. He couldn't say anything anymore.

"Why? " He asked, though he already knew the answer. But he would not accept it, he would never accept it.

"I have my reasons. And I was very clear just now. " she replied.

“If we get married—"

  
“No.” She interrupted him,“There’s no future between us and you are the only one that can continue our family’s legacy. You must take the responsibility.”

“...Do you still love me? " Finally, he said, voice weak like a whisper.

Daenerys looked at him for a long time, long enough to make Jon wish that time could stop for that moment. But then she lowered her head and left the room. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyrion learned the truth. Sansa tried to keep power in her hand.

**Tyrion**

Tyrion Lannister looked at the map of the world in thoughts.

Ser Jorah removed half the chess pieces which represented the unsullied from the table. Since Grey Worm's tragic death, he has taken his place as Queen’s commander. Dothraki have lost a similar number. The situation is not ideal. They’re outnumbered, it's obviously not equal.

Jon Snow held out his hand slowly and removed half of the square pieces that represented the northern troops. He had been absent-minded since the long night. Tyrion was not sure that this state of his is the best for their queen for the war to comes.

"Cersei will not make people believe what we have done to save them, she will use them as her shield against us, so we must attack her when the time is right, " their queen said, pondering, "We will rip her out root and stern, but as Lord Tyrion has suggested, I can not destroy King's Landing and harm its innocent people. "

Tyrion breathed a sigh of relief and nodded slightly. He had always feared that she would take drastic measures. Now that fear was misplaced. Queen Daenerys would always do the right thing.

"You are perfectly right, Your Grace, " Lord Varys praised with satisfaction, "Thankfully, she’s losing allies every day. Yara Greyjoy has retaken the Iron Islands in her Queen's name, the new Prince of Dorne pledges his support. "

"Very well " said Daenerys, nodding. "But no matter how many lords turns against her, as long as she sits on the Iron Throne, she can calls herself Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. We need the capital and we need to take it with minimal sacrifice. "

She looked to Tyrion for advice. Daenerys is right. Mercy has always been her strength, but it has also been her weakness. A good ruler can not be too strong or too weak, it was their duty as advisers to balance between them. He couldn't believe he had trusted Cersei, she had used his sympathy to let them face the army of the dead without enough forces, she probably wanted to use the chance to strike them whole. Gods, now that he think about it, with all they had lost in the battle, as selfish as his sister is, even though Jamie had confirmed about her pregnancy, there were still possibility that she may lied to his brother as well. Tyrion knows he can’t make such a foolish mistake again. He thought of the battle of the Blackwater that he led and the curses and humiliation he received when he was framed by his own family and about to stand trial. He knew the people of King's Landing, probably the worst kind of people in the world, and now he knew once and for all how cruel and vicious his sister was, it was nearly impossible to wait for them to overthrow her.

Sacrifice may be inevitable, but it's also necessary.

"I watched the people of King's Landing rebel against their king when they were hungry and that was before winter began, " Tyrion replied, "However, I know my sister, unlike the kings before her, and unlike the those slavers of Meereen, people are afraid of Cersei, you can't expect them to be heroes. I'm afraid we have to show mercy but at the same time prepare for the worst."

Daenerys was silent for a moment, then made her decision.

"Then we’ll surround the city. If the Iron Fleet tries to ferry in more food, my dragons will destroy them. If the Lannisters and the Golden Company attack, we will defeat in the field. And if by then the people still do not realize that Cersei is our only enemy, then we will march into the city, but none of my men or soldiers will harm the civilian, women and children in it. "

“And Lord Tyrion, please do knowledge me, what will be the signal if the city surrender?”

“They will ring the bell, your grace.”

"Good, then as soon as the bells ring, we will stop the attacks immediately, and the reign of Cersei Lannister will be over,"

Most people agreed, even the Sansa Stark nodded showing her approval. Tyrion was relieved that Daenerys Targaryen had grown to be a wise queen.

"What does the king in the North think? " Daenerys turned to look at Jon Snow, who still stared down at the map as if he was hitten by frost. Tyrion sympathized with him, but was also strangely frightened.

He knew what was going on between them, for the way they communicated had changed. Ever since the feast, the more polite and attentive Daenerys became to him, the more silent and irritable Jon became. A rift was slowly forming between the two, Tyrion noticed it, though he did not know the details.

Daenerys's actions that night were unexpected. Her decision was brave and generous, but perhaps also naive and foolish, though Jon was quick to show his support, Tyrion is still worried about his queen.

Once he watched them behind the battlement, almost believed that, as Ser Davos had proposed, they would make the perfect couple. But that was before the battle began, before Daenerys gave her power back to the north. No matter how honorable Jon Snow was, they were now equal allies, and the territories of the north were already out of their hands.

And……

Tyrion remembered his conversation that night with Bran Stark, the crippled boy, the three eyed Raven, as he put it. They talked all night long, the boy’s wisdom shocked and filled him with admiration. From the children of the forest to the first men to the first long night, to Aegon's arrival, all histories of the kingdoms and all memories of this land are stored in this fragile body. And at the end, they talk about the future.

Bran had the ability to see into the future. He had never believed in such nonsense, but Daenerys and his experience of the long night had shaken his mind.

"What do you see in the future? " Tyrion remembered him asking, just out of curiosity and not expecting the boy to answer , given that the future would probably not be controlled by any mortal.

Bran Stark's eyes darted slightly into the distance and opened his mouth.

"One of the coins will flip to the wrong side. When the Dragon Queen falls from the sky, all the snow in the world will turn to into ashes. " he said without emotion.

Bran's riddle stopped Tyrion's heart for a beat. The coin metaphor could only refer to Targaryens. At first he was horrified to think that Daenerys would follow in her father's footsteps, but then he quickly dismissed the illogical idea. Daenerys is a good queen, and he was now more convinced than ever. She truly cared for her people and she is nothing like her father. Tyrion believed in her with all his heart.

He's talking about “one of” the coins. What does that mean? As far as he knew, Daenerys is the last Targaryen.

And she will fall from the sky……

That's when his instincts told him that someone would betray her.

The thought made his legs tremble. Is this man the Spider? Or Ser Jorah? Tyrion's mind raced. No, he knew them, the spider was cunning, but he could see through his intentions, and the eunuch never mind to speak his thoughts to him. Ser Jorah was rarely on his side, but he loved their queen as much as he did.

All the snow in the world will turn into ashes……

In the end, his mind couldn't help but connect this person to Jon Snow.

Tyrion knew that Jon, like his father, valued honor as much as life. He was a good man, but that was the impression he had had of him as the bastard green boy who tried to prove himself. He had grown into a man, time hardened him. People change, and he knows exactly what grief can do to a person……

What grief can do to his father, his sister, and what it can do to himself.

Yes, grief can make people do terrible things. Jon Snow's strange behavior these last few days has only strengthened his suspicions.

And their beautiful queen loved him so much that she gave him back the power of the north.

"Nothing lasts. " said Lord Varys looking at them that day.

Shae's allegations against him in court and what she and his father had done still rankled him to this day. Gods know how much they loved each other before. But look at him now. 

Tyrion remembered the day they were on that boat. He watched the two, the way they looked at each other, the way they touched each other. That moment, part of him knew it clearly, that one day Daenerys' love for him would destroy her.

But Jon is not a Targaryen, that’s the part Tyrion still couldn’t figure out. Perhaps his fears were needless. Perhaps the betrayal of his family and loved ones made him suspicious, or maybe he'd had too much of the awful ale here to start to think crazy, Bran's prediction was just a possible warning. But anyway, if things really got to that terrible point, he hoped it wouldn't, he must take actions, he must protect his queen from any possible harm.

He need to talk to Daenerys after the meeting, at least to make her more careful about her decisions.

"I have no objection, Your Grace, You did the right thing, " Jon Snow said dryly, raising his head and looking straight at Daenerys as if he were searching for something. "But men we have left are exhausted. Many of them are wounded. They will fight better if they have more time to rest. "

What he said made Tyrion frown, which seemed perfectly reasonable, but there might be another meaning behind it, which made him feel vaguely uneasy.

He wanted to postpone the fight. And now in his position as the king in the North, no one has the right to command him anymore. As long as he wants to, he could use this kind of excuses to keep going forever, until Cersei was ready to attack them.

"Your Grace, our queen came north to fight alongside you. She lost a dragon and a great cost of her armies. Now that she has returned your power to the north and you have also sworn a sacred oath at the feast, it is the time to return her favor, and yet you are not willing to go ? " Tyrion asked.

It was supposed to be an attempt, he didn't think it would lead to anger.

"When I make a promise, I’ll keep it, " Jon said. His face darkened and his voice menacing, "Cersei Lannister is also my enemy. Do not question my commitment to Queen Daenerys, Lord Tyrion. And do not forget it is I who fought with her while you were hiding in the crypt. "

His words also stirred Tyrion. How dare he? He had been serving Daenerys since he fled King's Landing. What does he know? Who is he to question his competence and loyalty? 

"The longer our queen waits, the stronger her enemies will become. You should know it better that this is war." Tyrion retorted, raising his voice aloud word for word.

"Forgive my brother, Lord Tyrion, " Sansa Stark opened her mouth to try to save the situation. "We are allies, and I'm sure Jon wants this war over as soon as possible too. He's only thinking for his people. " she said, but received a glare of the king in the North as return.

"You think yourself clever...... " Jon Snow said, turning to him, his face became redder and redder, and his voice became a growl as he breathed in, " If it hadn't been for your stupid suggestion that we should go to catch a damn white, how could Daenerys have lost a dragon? How could Night King have broken through the Wall? How could there have been so many dead and wounded among my people?! If it weren't for you, the long night wouldn't even begin!"

For a moment, his anger had taken Tyrion by surprise, like a wolf, his nearly black eyes almost seem to ready to tear him apart. That moment, he felt fear.

"Everyone calms down! " Shouted Daenerys, stopping the quarrel, anger also appeared on her face. "The Great War is over. We are here to discuss how to deal with our enemies to win the last war not to blame each other! "

She glanced concernedly at Jon, who then realized his misbehave, lowered his head. Daenerys back into her steady voice with a deep breath.

"The longer we wait, the more chances Cersei will have. Tyrion is right, she can attack us at any time, even Winterfell. To prevent more casualties, we need to end this war as soon as possible, King Jon, Lady Sansa, I hope you understand." she said.

Sansa nodded and bowed. Jon looked up at her with a despondent sigh.

"I understand." he replied in a low voice.

"And Lord Tyrion, " Daenerys said, turning to him with a look of reproach. "King Jon is our ally and will play an important part in the fight to come. You must respect him as I do. "

"Yes, Your Grace." Tyrion said, a little frustrated, his worries rolled like a snowball.

He looked at Ser Jorah, who had seen what had happened, looked back at him too, seemed to feel the same.

Then Tyrion explained their route to south. Daenerys would take her dragons, he and Ser Jorah, Lord Varys and a smaller group of the armies to White Harbor, and sail from there to Dragonstone, the safest way. Jon Snow and Ser Davos would ride down the Kingsrode with most of the remaining northern troops and Dothraki and Unsullied. Ser Jaime will remain here as a guest of Sansa Stark the Lady of Winterfell. However, Daenerys shook her head.

"No, a queen must stay with her people, live and die with them, and I will not put the men of the north and their king in danger, " she said, rejecting his offer, "I will take Drogon, Ser Jorah, Lord Varys, the unsullied and the dothraki south along the Kingsroad. Jon will sail for Dragonstone with Rhaegal and the Northernmen. And you, Lord Tyrion, will ride with Ser Jaime to Casterly Rock. "

Sansa and Brienne looked surprised, but then nodded and accepted that it was indeed safer for their side. Tyrion's eyes widened in disbelief, he almost wanted to take back all the praise he just gave Daenerys in his heart. First she won't let him fight in the Long Night, now she won't let him fight Cersei. What did he do wrong? Has he already lost her trust?

"Your Grace…... " He was about to retort when Daenerys interrupted him. Jon Snow stepped forward wanted to say something too, but Sansa stopped him with her hand pressing on his shoulder, he then shook it off in annoyance.

"That is an order. " said his queen, in a voice that seemed to be resolute and decisive.

"When the Dragon Queen falls from the sky... " Bran Stark's voice is heard again in his head.

This is bad, this is very bad, Tyrion thought to himself in horror, knowing that it’s not that he should speak to her after this, it’s that he must.

When the meeting was finally over, Jon Snow walked out of the room with hostile eyes at him. Tyrion took a deep breath and walked toward Daenerys.

"May we have a moment alone, Your Grace? " He asked. If she did not agree, he would ask her again and again until she did. He could not watch her go down such a dangerous path.

Daenerys nodded, much to his surprise.

"That's what I intend to do. Let Ser Jorah stay too. I have something to tell you. "

**Sansa**

Sansa Stark went into the Godswood and found her brother in front of a heart tree, who was now on one knee, looking at the sword he had given their sister. She sighed.

"It's getting late, you should go back, brother." she said to him.

"Don't you miss her? " Jon asked in a husky voice. He stood up, still with his back to her, and stroked the sword.

Sansa closed her eyes, Arya, they fought all the time as children, they never liked each other. After all that had happened she finally understood her sister, they had formed a real friendship, and then she was gone.

But like everyone she'd met in her life, father, Robb, the Hound, even Littlefinger, people always die or leave, and that was the way of the world. All she could do was survive.

"I miss her every day, " Sansa replied, truthfully, "but the past is past, and we must move on. "

"It's easy for you, isn't it? " said Jon, turning at last. His brows furrowed, his brown eyes watching her as if questioning. After the long night, her brother becoming more and more silent and suspicious, which made Sansa very uncomfortable.

She thought of Jon's behavior at the feast and what had happened today. That look in his eyes, It was the first time he had frightened her. She had seen that look before, that kind of anger, when he was still their silent bastard brother and was accused by her mother, when he was about to punch Ramsay Snow to death fist by fist. But it had never been towards her. Their sister's death has changed him.

A part of her heart was bitter, even jealous. Arya was always more important than she was, but it was nobody's fault. She had never shown any kindness to her brother as a child, and when she finally apologized to him, it was because she needed something from him.

"You should be more careful what you say and do, " Sansa said, bypassing his questions and looking down to avoid his gaze, "What you did at the meeting today was reckless. If we're not careful, we could break our alliance with Daenerys. "

That was actually the real reason she came to him. Her brother's tendency to follow his heart rather than his head was what worried her the most. She needed to be in control of him.

Jon paused, then snorted.

"As soon as we became independent, all of a sudden you started to care about my alliance with her? How fast your attitude changed? I thought you didn't believe her? Do you have any idea how upset she was? Do you know how difficult I felt to try to convince you and those rock-headed lords?" He said, glaring at her, more questions, sounds almost resentful at the end.

She knew he was right in a way, but the way he said it made Sansa feel somehow insulted. How could he say that about her? Yes, she didn't trust Daenerys, but how could she trust the daughter of the man who killed her grandfather and uncle? Yet what she did the night of the feast changed everything. She realized that she had been wrong about her, that, as she had told her before, she wasn't using him, her support to the north was only out of her love for him, her concern for the people of Westeros. Gods, if the circumstances permit, they may even make a good couple.

"Don't twist my words, Jon, " Sansa retorted, straightening up in an attempt to preserve her dignity, "I did what I did for the north, yes, I did doubt her, and I explained to the lords the dangers of your actions. But I now realize I was wrong about her, and that's all in the past. As Lady of Winterfell you can't expect me to apologize to her in person, and that’s why it’s more important for us now to maintain a good relationship with her. Where do you think we'll get food for the next winter when she's Queen of the six kingdoms? We need trade, brother! "

"I see. So you did try to drive a wedge between the lords and I….. "His voice dropped, as if he was betrayed. Then Sansa realized she had spilled the beans.

"Jon... " she called, thinking quickly how to explain the matter.

"Why didn't you tell me about the Vale then?" He asked suddenly, interrupting her, and the questioning look returned to his eyes.

For a moment, Sansa felt all of this was totally ridiculous. He should know that she was doing all of this out of consideration for the greater good, and now he's going to blame her for that too？

"Are you serious? So we going to settle some kind of old scores now? " She couldn’t help but answered him with a touch of sneer, by the gods, she then realized how much she sounded like her mother.

"Answer the question." Jon said, beginning to be annoyed at her evasion, "If you had told me we could have saved Rickon, none of our men would have died. Why? ”

". . . Because I was afraid Ramsay would find out about it. You don't live with him you don't know what he'll do. We need to attack him in surprise. If he finds out it's all over, we can't risk it! I can’t risk it!"Sansa replied, to make herself look as serious as possible, and hopefully it'll make him see sense.

"So you'd rather let Rickon die than taking the risk? You'd rather use us as bait? All of that just for wining?" He said, his voice shaking with pent-up anger.

Suddenly words were chocked by Sansa’s throat. She was shocked that he had said such a thing, but she was also dismayed to find that he seemed to be telling the truth.

"Well fine, let's not talk about the past, let's talk about the present shall we?Have you ever considered that if we had not been independent, we would not have had to trade with Daenerys at all? Have you ever really thought about it? The North is barren and sparsely populated, after the long night it is even more dilapidated. My dear sister, are you so confident that you can meet all the needs of the people on your own? What do you think we could have to trade with her? "His breath grew heavier, Sansa was horrified to realize that he was about to explode again.

"Maybe marriage? " she hastened to say, hoping it would calm him down. It had always been what he wanted, hadn't it.

When He heard this, he froze, then closed his eyes and breathed in heavily, as if in great pain, for reasons Sansa could not fathom.

"It's impossible... " he said, almost a whisper.

"Why? " Sansa asked. "You love her, she loves you, you're a king and she's a queen, you're made for each other—— "

"There’s no ‘Why’... Sansa, don't ask... "

"There must be a reason, " Sansa continued, ignoring his pleas. "You're hiding something from me. I can feel it. I'm your family, too, Jon. If Arya were here, she wouldn't want to see us like this. You——"

"ARYA IS DEAD! " Jon shouted, opening his eyes and interrupting her. Sansa realized it was a mistake to bring up their sister at this point.

"While you and the Imp were down there hiding...... " he said, his whole body shaking with anger and grief.

Is that what he thinks of her now? A selfish coward? She didn't know how to fight. What else could she have done? Why couldn’t he understand that all she had done was for his sake and for the North? Sansa felt a chill in her heart, but she said nothing more. She was afraid to say anything more. She knew Jon wouldn't listen.

"……Do you still trust me, brother ?"She whispered, asking what he had asked her before.

Jon's breathing moderated, looking at her for a long time, again with his questioning brown eyes, his handsome face mixed with anger, sadness, pain, and struggle, but then all those emotions vanished, replaced by a coldness.

"You will ride south with me to fight Cersei Lannister, " he said, without answering her question.

"What? !" Sansa opened her mouth in shock. "Have you lost your mind? I am Lady of Winterfell, I can not abandon my people...... "

"They are my people, not yours Sansa, " Jon interrupted her again. "Bran and Lady Lyanna Mormont will guard Winterfell for us while we're gone. It is I who made you Lady of Winterfell and I can also take it back. You’re no longer in the position. "

"You're giving our lands to our bannermen? A 10-year-old girl? You'd rather trust her than your own sister? Bran doesn't want to be a lord, you know this! " Sansa couldn’t help but be deeply panic, no, no, no, this is beyond her. Her brother is completely out of her control.

"A 10-year-old, wise, Lady of House Mormont. And it doesn't matter what Bran wants, whatever being he calls himself now. It also doesn’t matter what we want...... "

"Jon... you can't... "

"Enough! " Jon said. No, Jon Snow, King in the North. "I've made up my mind. This is the king's order. "

With that, Jon left the Godswood without looking back, leaving Sansa alone with a sense of loss.

**Tyrion**

Their Queen led them to the cliffs, where she made them swear before her dragons, Drogon and Rhaegal, to keep what she was about to say a secret. He and Ser Jorah promised one after the other. Tyrion wondered what was so important.

The truth that Daenerys spoke of proved his worst fear.

Jon Snow is not a bastard, but the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, the rightful heir to the iron throne. And his queen has decided to renounce her claim in Westeros and return to Essos.

One of the coins…… Now it all makes sense, why she gave him back his place as king in the north, why she kept defending him and choosing the safest route south for him. All so that he, Aegon Targaryen, could be king of the seven kingdoms, so that she could leave peacefully.

"Even if he is the rightful heir to the throne, that does not make him a good ruler. Please, Your Grace, please reconsider." Tyrion pleaded. He had to stop this thing from going that way.

"Have you forgotten that if it hadn’t been Jon who informed us of the night king's threat and gathered all the forces, we would all be part of the army of the dead today ? " rebuked Daenerys, obviously disappointed by his reaction, "If it wasn't for him, it wouldn't matter who is sitting in that chair now. "

"Sir Jorah killed the night king and saved you, he's the one who stopped the long night. " Tyrion continued, looking to Jorah for a respond.

"Our queen is right, " said Ser Jorah thoughtfully, frowning.

"You agree with her? ! " Tyrion nearly fainted. He knew they had had many disagreements in the past, but at this point, could he really think about Daenerys's future instead of trying to please her all the time?

"No, I agree that we do need him. We need to support him and win the support of his armies." Jorah said. "But that was when he was still warden of the north, Khaleesi. He's not one of us now. "

Tyrion breathed a sigh of relief. Thanked gods that finally someone besides him could speak some sense.

"Jon is one of us. " Jorah’s words made Daenerys begin to stir. "He is my nephew and heir. He will be a good king, and I hope you will respect him and get along with him. " she emphasized.  
  
"It doesn't mean you can't be a good queen. People see what you've done, Daenerys, you've saved us all, you're not your father, they won’t care whether you're the rightful heir or not, Westeros will be better with you ruling it. " Tyrion said. Daenerys has won over the support of the Iron Islands and Dorne, Yara Greyjoy and the open-minded Dornishmen won’t care if their ruler is a man. People saw and heard about her stories of the fight with Ice dragon and the near death she sent to the night king. She is a war hero. He saw a change in the attitude of Sansa Stark and the northern lords toward her as well. He believed that whether people knew the truth or not, they'll all love her.

"I can't, it's not right, I can't take away his birthright." Daenerys said only, her expression as hard as stone.

It seemed that he would have to take some extreme acts, Tyrion realized, even if it might provoke her.

"Why? All these years you have fought for the throne of your ancestors, " Tyrion continued with a little bit harsh, forcing her step by step, "And now suddenly a guy pops up and you're just gonna give it all up? Let he gets all the credit only because he has a cock? Or are you so blinded by your love for him that you don't know what's best for the realm? I remember that the Queen I chose to follow was not that weak!"

"It's not that simple... I AM thinking the best for the realm... " said Daenerys, looking down.

"Then Explain! "

"Because I can't have children! " She roared out, looking up at him, her blue-gold eyes filled with tears. Tyrion started to regret saying it.  
"If I sit on the iron throne, there will be no heir for House Targaryen. Westeros will have no future…... "

Suddenly, Tyrion understood. All of these concessions, no, it’s not like what she said, he knew it very well, perhaps she didn’t even realize it. It’s not just because she thinks what she did was the best for the people, it’s only part of it, there were deeper meaning and reasons behind what she was doing. It was because the guilt, the trauma she went trough during the battle which caused her to doubt herself, she was scared, scared of her own actions and blame herself for it, she didn’t think she deserves the throne anymore but the truth was exactly the opposite. It was because she had really thought about it——to live with Jon Snow, but she didn't think that they can make it, that there was any future for them. She loved him, she loved him so much that she didn’t think she deserves him, she loved him so much that she could let him go and give everything away.

And to be honest, he’s kind of jealous about it.

"I understand, Your Grace, " said Tyrion. "I'm sorry. "

"It's all right, " Daenerys said, quickly wiping tears from her face and taking a deep breath. "But don't you ever talk to me like that again, Lord Tyrion, or I'll feed you to my dragons. "

"Of course, I'll never do it again." Tyrion nodded.

"Very well, " said Daenerys. "Then as I said before, you will go to Casterly Rock with Ser Jaime tomorrow. I don't want my most trusted hand harmed, and I need someone to watch the city for me. "

"As you wish, Your Grace. " Tyrion said again.

"And again, as you two had promised me, you can't tell anyone what I'm telling you today, not for now. The situation is still unstable, I need to make sure Jon has the most support when we declare him king of the seven kingdoms. When this is over, you two can either stay here with Jon, or come back to Essos with me." she told them.

He and Ser Jorah bowed their heads and left the cliff.

Tyrion returned to his room, poured himself a goblet of wine, decided he needed to go for a walk.

He may be wrong, Jon really will be a great ruler, as Daenerys says, everything will be fine. But the man’s recent actions and his behavior at the meeting today almost negate that assumption.

He thought of the way he was looking at him and still felt a chill down his spine. Now he realized that what he had seen at that moment was a dragon, hidden beneath the wolf's fur.

Bran Stark's prophecy was repeated over and over in Tyrion's mind.

Jon loves her, and Tyrion knows that, gods, he may not even want the iron throne himself at all. But Daenerys won't allow it, and as his father said, Aerys Targaryen was a good man before he imprisoned his wife and threatened to burn down King's Landing.

He walked up to the walls of Winterfell and saw Sansa Stark standing there, looking worried.

What he’s about to do next may not be forgiven by their queen for feeding him to her dragons a thousand times, but he must do it. He must protect her at all costs.

Daenerys has to be the queen of the seven kingdoms, whether she likes it or not.

He had a letter to write to his sister, and a secret to share.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon fighting his inner battle, the madness of Targaryen shine through.

**Jon**

Jon rubbed his eyes, put the supplies and weapons he needed on his horse. In a few moments they would be leaving for White Harbor.

Death is always screaming in his dreams, and the reality is no better, giving him no time to breathe. His headaches have become more frequent lately, it have begun since the long night, he thinks it might be because of his long term lack of sleep.

His conversation with Gilly was even more painful, when she told him that Sam would probably name their unborn child little Jon, he felt as if he were reliving the day he saw his friend's body.

One of the few good things may have been that Edd chose to lead the Night’s Watch south with him, he was grateful, they needed as many men as possible in the war to come. Edd is one of his most loyal friends, he had never chosen him for his position or title, but because of their friendship, and since they shared the same pain of losing Sam, his presence was a comforting companion, he’s the only one he has left to trust.

Speaking of trust, Jon looked to his left side to find Sansa looked at him from a distance with a bitter look with Ser Brienne by her side, ready to go as well. Jon looked away, not expecting her to understand.

Being a king is never easy, and they need as many people as possible to help Dany to win this war, so to make sure the lords support, he had to take the their sons as his stewards or other words, which is truth but nobody dare to speak, hostage to ride south with him to keep their loyalty. It’s extreme he knew, but it was the only way that he could let them have no choice but to join this fight, it was the only way that he could fix the mess that his sister had caused. 

Their conversation in the Godswood left him completely disappointed. When he removed her position of the Lady of Winterfell, she looked completely panicked. He knew her reasons, but in that moment, he knew all those were just excuses.

He now finally saw his sister clearly. She claimed she was doing it for the north, for him, but kept on insisting on her own identity and importance and spoke ill of him behind his back. Independence never did them any good, she's actually doing it to hold on to her power as Lady of Winterfell, to do what she wants without anyone telling her what to do, to control him better, to be the actual center of the North. Yes, she's doing it for herself. He loves her, he trusted her, and this is how she repaid him.

He thought of Littlefinger, the duplicitous man who had been so close to Sansa. It seemed that her time in King's Landing with him had changed her.

All his doubts about her were coming true, and God knows what she would do for herself if he let this keep going.

But despite how headache Sansa made him, she was still his sister, so taking her south was the only logical option, and it was a chance he gave her to prove herself.

It was only by keeping her close so that she wouldn't dare to make any move, and Tyrion Lannister wouldn't use her to against him.

Jon was annoyed and frightened at the thought of the Imp. All this time he had been watching him suspiciously. Every move he made was under his eyes, making his skin crawl. He didn't know when Daenerys would tell him the truth, but he knew what he would do to him if he knew. He knew that he should not have caused any conflicts with him at this time, but the more he thought about it, the more defensive he became. In the end he couldn’t bear it any longer, so what happened at the meeting happened.

He saw the look in the dwarf’s eyes, that kind of doubt and distrust, so many people had looked at him that way since he was only a little kid, before he had done anything, they had already convinced themselves that he was going to be a threat, it almost like they couldn’t wait to cut his chest open to see if his heart is as black as a bastard’s. Even if he cursed the damn chair a hundred times in his face would be no use, Tyrion Lannister would do anything to get rid of him.

If he's going to come after him sooner or later, then it's better for them to make this clear before it's too late, so he can be prepared when they reach to that point. Daenerys's promises never work.

Thinking of Dany, Jon felt a twinge of pain. After the night of the feast she had avoided meeting him anywhere but in public, as if it was her cruel revenge for what he had done. He probably deserves it. He had tried his best to think of every possible way to let her stays here a little longer. But she refused them one by one. And he would not let her face the danger of the south alone.

She had made up her mind to leave, but deep down he knew that he’s not willing to give in, not willing to let her go, not after that night, not after he had really realized what he wanted.

"You are my heir. "  
"It doesn't matter what you want. "

He remembered Daenerys saying this, and the more he thought about it, the more indignant he felt. 

Why is everything so fucking unfair?

Ghost ran over and licked the back of Jon's hand, pulling him back to reality. He touched his wolf’s soft, a bit dirty fur, his brows stretched a little. He was the only thing he could find a little peace in all this chaos.

"It's just you and me, boy. " he murmured, feeling a little guilty at the sight of his half-ears. He had left Ghost behind so many times, he nearly lost him that day too.

I won't leave you again, Jon thought, patting Ghost’s forehead.

"Your dragon would be jealous if he saw it. " said a bright, gruff voice. Jon turned to see Tormund coming toward him, he can’t help but curling the corners of his mouth.

"Rhaegal is not my dragon, he belongs to Daenerys. " he replied.

"Whatever you say, I don't have a problem with bestiality." Tormund said sarcastically. It was the redheaded wildling's unique way of showing affection. Jon chuckled a little.

"I’m sorry about the lords, you don’t have to leave," he said, feeling apologetic. After the Great War the lords and the wildlings and him held up a meeting to discuss the aftermath. The lords were not happy about the idea of the wildlings staying here and want them back to the north of the wall. The meeting almost started a fight, but Jon ended the quarrel and refused their demands. Free Folks helped them, most of them even sacrificed their life to save them, and in the end they just want to push them aside again after they have no used of them. The selfishness and disrespectfulness of the northern houses were beyond his expectations and only angered him more. Sometimes he wondered if they want to do the same to him.

The dagger in the dark, he couldn’t help but think of that betrayal again.

“I know this may not be the north for you. ”He continued, shook off those thoughts,“But you and your people can still stay here in Winterfell, they won’t do anything without my command, Lady Mormont will make sure of it, you have my word."

"Nah, It’s alright. I don’t care what those southern fuckers think, this place is not our home anyway. But that’s not why I came to see you, little crow, " said Tormund, putting his arm around him.

"The free folks will ride south with you. "

"But we'll facing war down south." Jon said, frowning.

"I know, but I guess I just can't leave you little man alone, you died the last time we weren't looking, " Tormund replied, smiling helplessly, "God knows what you'd do without me. You need more people right? You fought for the free folk. Now it's our turn to fight for you. "

A warm feeling came over Jon. He hugged him, and he was met with a forceful response.

  
"Besides, " added Tormund, as he let go of him, "that beauty is leaving the bloody knight to go south with your sister. Second Chance, mate, once in a blue moon. "

For a moment they both burst out laughing.

He hadn't laughed like that in a long time. Before it would have been hard for him to imagine that Tormund might be one of the few friends he has now, and for some reason it always made him feel a lot easier to be around the free folks. Two of them and Edd, crows and wildlings, after all that happened, they had formed a brotherly bond.

"The north is forever grateful for your support, Tormund Giantsbane." he said earnestly.

"You have the blood of the north in you, the real north. When this is over you should come with us to the north of the wall, where you really belong. " Tormund invited.

Maybe, he thought of those simpler days with them in the past, maybe it's his other choice, to go north of the wall with the wildlings, forget everything. Go hunting in the wilderness, meet some new people, he might be truly happy. But no, he realized, it’s all history now, a time that had already lost, he won’t find happiness there and he knows he can't let Dany go, he couldn’t and would never forget her, go to north of the wall is just another way of escape, escape of his true feelings and desire, he had already made a promise to himself that night that he would never be a coward like that again, there's nothing that can compare with Daenerys.

He loves her, he loves her so much even though her refusal pained him. And she still hadn’t answered his question that night. So maybe…the foolish part of him still secretly hoping that maybe there are still chances that he could make her change her mind, that the witch is wrong, that he could get her back.

Even if it was his last days to spend with her, he was not willing to give up a single second.

Or maybe Cersei Lannister will kill them all so he doesn't have to think about it anymore….

No no no no….

He quickly shook his head and dismissed the terrible idea. No, this must not happen. He won’t allow it.

If he looks back he is lost.

"I don't know, Tormund, I....." Jon said in a daze.“Thank you but...probably not.”

Tormund nodded.

“I understand, little crow. That dragon women, she’s extraordinary.” He said, with the same respect he saw in others.

Aye, she is, she is his everything, Jon thought, but he only answered with a forced bitter smile, he felt like doing it almost hurt his face.

He hoped them all to be safe.

**Sansa**

She and Ser Davos sat in the cabin of their ship. She explained the whole story to him, the truth of which Tyrion had told her. As the hand of their king, he had a right to know.

"Think of the past 20 years. The war, the murders, the misery, the deaths of my grandfather and my uncle, even my father and brother, all because Rhaegar Targaryen decided to run away with my aunt. " she said and sighed.

Men always make stupid, impulsive decisions.

"How many others know? " Davos asked, frowning.

"Including us? Eight. " Sansa replied.

"Then it's not a secret anymore. It's information. If a handful of people know now, hundreds will know soon. " he said, pinching the bridge of his nose and apparently understanding the extent of the problem. Sansa agreed with him.

"What happens next? " He asked.

"Dorne won’t supported Jon that’s for sure. They're all still upset about Elia Martell’s death. Yara Greyjoy probably won’t too. She prefers Daenerys and doesn't care if her inheritance is legitimate. And to make matters worse, now that she has helped us destroy the night king and returned the north, some of the northern lords are beginning to like her, and others are not happy about our king's insistence to march south to support her instead of rebuilding the north, not to mention he was taking their sons with him, some of them are even resentful." Sansa said, thinking about how to solve the problem. Apparently what she had said to the lords about her brother added fuel to the fire. She used to think it was a clever decision.

"But she's ready to give the throne to him, though I don't think our king wants it." Davos said.

"Once people know the truth, it doesn't matter what they both want." Sansa replied. It's reality.

"They can still marry and rule together. He loves her, she loves him, and blood has never stopped Targaryens. " suggests Davos.

She had thought like that too, but as things stood now the possibility seemed remote. She finally understood why Jon had been avoiding her question that day in the Godswood. She couldn’t believe he has been keeping such a big secret from her.

She has completely lost his trust, Sansa realized uneasily.

"My brother grew up in the north and it's not comment to marry your aunt there, " Sansa said. "And Daenerys has made up her mind to leave. "

"......Or maybe we’ll just put Jon on the Iron Throne as she wants? He’s the rightful heir. I'm sure he will make a good king." said Davos, after a moment's thought.

"Perhaps he is, " said Sansa, "But not all the Houses felt the same. And being rightful never matters much to be honest, if so Robert’s rebellion wouldn’t succeed in the first place and there will be no battle of the five kings. What lords in Westeros really care about is power, and right now Daenerys with her two dragons and armies, the support of Dorne and Iron islands and the Reach has the most of it. They will be a fool not to follow her. As long as Jon's reign interfered with their interests, they could go to war in her name at any time, there will be a civil war, and by that time she was already on another continent and couldn’t prevent it from happening. " This is also truth.

Ser Davos held his face in a long breath.

"This is tricky." he said.

"Of course, it is." Sansa replied, pressing her temples as well.

“What do you think, Lady Sansa?” Asked Davos, after a long silence.

What was she supposed to do? She can support her brother and put him on the throne, which is exactly what Daenerys wants, but she’s afraid that's only gonna lead to more war and chaos, and it's not going to do the north any good.

"Do you think in his condition now, when Jon sits on the Iron Throne, he'll still give the north the independence it deserves? " Tyrion's words to her on the wall echoed through Sansa's mind.

"You are the firstborn daughter of Ned Stark. Regardless of gender, you have a better claim to Winterfell than he does. "

She remembered her mother telling her that she feared Jon would one day turn against them and take the Lord of Winterfell from Robb. Now half of what she said had come true, not only that, he would be king of the seven kingdoms.

The way he spoke to her that day made her shiver, as if he was the master of it all.

Sansa knew she had to keep an eye on the situation and prepare for the worst.

Nobody can protect me, only myself. That's what she learned after she escaped from Ramsay Snow.

"I'm worried about my brother's state of mind. " she said finally, beginning to play her own little game.

"I am his advisor, you are his sister, it is our duty to worry about his state of mind. " said Davos, not feeling that it matters much.

"He has lost too much, and he's become more and more suspicious during these days, you and I both know it." Sansa said, looking at him.

"Before Stannis Baratheon burned Shireen, Ser Davos, what was he like? What was his state of mind? " She asked.

Ser Davos froze when he heard this.

Suddenly, a burst of big noise interrupted their conversation, and the cabin began to shake violently, startling Sansa.

Ser Brienne came running and found her, looking panic, with her expression Sansa could guess what had happened.

"We must abandon the ship at once, lady Sansa, " said Brienne, speaking quickly. "We are under attack. "

Sansa and the other two hurried up to the deck and saw what happen.

Ghost, lying in the position a few step before her, stopped breathing and fell in a pool of blood, a huge spear piercing his body, the blood staining his white fur scarlet. It seems that the latest series of attacks had unfortunately hit him.

She looked up. Euron Greyjoy and his iron fleet stared at them in the distant. A crazy smile spread across his face.

Sansa gasped.

A dragon's roar came from behind her. Jon rode his dragon in Euron's direction in a rush. He bellowed, his face full of anger, clearly knew what was happening. Euron gave the order again, more spears flew out, which forced her brother to take cover in the opposite direction.

Taking this opportunity, Euron ordered the fleet to move forward, his bloodthirsty eyes racing Sansa's heart to her throat, another round of spears shot out and hit their ship.

"JUMP! " Brienne shouted at her, almost pushing her into the sea.

Then all she could see was darkness.

**oooooooooooo**

By the time she regained consciousness, she had been dragged to shore by Brienne. Sansa coughed loudly, spitting out water from her stomach.

She struggled to get up and looked around. Most of the northern soldiers and wildlings were coming ashore, but she could feel something wasn’t right, like someone is——

“Where is Tormund?!” Lord Edd shouted angrily after searching. Then Sansa realized what went wrong.

Tormund is missing.

**Jon**

Jon slapped the table hard. His body couldn’t stop shaking.

He should have known. He should have seen it coming. He should have never let Tormund and Ghost go south with him……

The image of his direwolf's death was still fresh in his mind. Ghost, his friend, who had grown up and went through life and death with him since the beginning, his silent companion in his loneliest and the most difficult time, had died in such a miserable way, he had failed him too!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry……

There was only one explanation for the situation. Someone had informed Cersei about their route, Jon recalled carefully. Everyone involved in that meeting was a suspect, but he knew it very well, there's only one person who could have committed this act of treason and walked away from it——

Tyrion Lannister.

He couldn't believe he hadn't cut off that dwarf’s head when he had the chance!

So Daenerys told him the truth, Ser Jorah must have known it as well. She betrayed him, Jon thought bitterly, grabbing his hair, his headache returned.

He knew it, the truth would only destroy them.

Anger rose with pain in his chest. In that moment, he hates, he hated himself for his incompetence. He hated Cersei. He hated the Lannisters. Those damn liars and schemers, they cause all of this.

Cersei Lannister and Euron Greyjoy must pay. They must die.

"We need to attack Cersei, now. " he told Ser Davos, Sansa and Edd, not as an offer but as an order.

Of the three, Edd agreed immediately, he too was angry about what had just happened and the capture of their friend, while his sister frowned disapprovingly and Ser Davos looked uneasily from side to side.

"We can't, Jon, it's a mistake, " Sansa told him, her eyes still cold, only making him more irritable. "We should wait for Queen Daenerys to come then make our move. "

Is she really that cold-blooded? Does she know how serious what just happened is?

"You saw what they did to Ghost, " he said, staring at her, and she ducked again. "They captured Tormund. "

"I know, and I'm sorry about it, " she explained, looking for reasons, which she always has, "but our people have just been ambushed, and I've been injured too, we need to rest and come up with a better plan......"

Always the same kind of excuse, as far as his remembered, last time he listened to her, Rickon died. 

"Unbelievable...... " Jon opened his eyes wide and shook his head, breathing heavily, his disappointment with her seemed bottomless. "At this point, all you think about is yourself? "

His words stirred her, his sister glared at him this time, just like Lady Catelyn when she scolded him.

"I'm only thinking the best for our people! Why don't you understand? You're driven by your emotions just like Robb! When are you going to use your stupid damn head? ! " She yelled at him.

"DO NOT talk to me like that! " Jon shot back, strucking her. His headache grew stronger. "You may be my sister, but I'm still your king. "

For a moment Sansa stopped, just lowered her head, her shoulders started to keep shaking. Jon knew she was crying, but he didn't care. He had had enough. She deserved to be punished for her arrogance.

"Your Grace, may I have a word? " suggested Ser Davos, cautiously, "Lady Sansa has a point. Cersei is our target. She has gathered every civilian in Red Keep. If we attack her with soldiers and dragons, thousands of innocents will die. "

"You united the wildlings and the north in the battle of the long night to protect humanity, you care about people. The king in the north I know and follow will not destroy the city he is coming to save. Please, your Grace……Jon, think about it, Queen Daenerys would not want this."

Yes, Jon thought, Dany would not approve of such a thing. She has a good heart, but she didn't understand that if they really wanted to overthrow Cersei, there would be sacrifices. It might not be right, but it was necessary.

And he had changed, he admitted. If he was still that man before all of this he would have fought hard against it. But he was tired of honor and duty, tired of compromise, tired of fighting for others and doing the right things. He wanted a life of his own, to have a real home, to have Daenerys, he wants her, he finally realized that this was what he truly desires all those years……

But as Arya, Sam, and Ghost left him one by one, and the people he loved the most kept rejecting him, throwing him the things he didn't want, he began to panic. He was really afraid, he was afraid that no matter what he chose, it would be wrong. If he waits any longer, Tormund will die, and before Dany gets to Dragonstone, Cersei could ambush him again like she did today, and take them all down.

If he keeps sitting still, he will have failed utterly, and he will have nothing at all.

What’s the point of being good and honorable when you lose everything anyway?

Jon took a deep breath to calm himself.

He would do it one last time, but only for once, only for Daenerys.  
  
"Send a message to Cersei Lannister demanding her surrender, " he ordered, "I will let her live as long as she gives up the throne and returns the hostage. One more day she has to claim her title as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, she will be a threat to everyone. Getting rid of her is necessary. And I will do whatever it takes to achieve it. "

"This is her last chance. "

He said, ignoring the concern looks of his hand as he left the room.  


**Davos**

Their king's reaction was more than he had expected, which made Davos faintly uneasy. He looked at lady Sansa, who still frowned and began to drink ale, he couldn’t help but feel pity for her.

"I'm sure your brother didn't mean it. " he consoled her. "Give him time and he'll apologize. "

"He won't, " Sansa assured, her red eyes fixed on a spot in front of her, thinking. "He knows exactly what he's doing. "

For a moment, Davos didn't know what to say, after a moment of silence, Sansa stood up, as if to make a decision.

"I'm going to leave. I'm going back to Winterfell. " she said.

"What? " Davos opened his mouth in surprise. "This is ridiculous, lady Sansa. We're at war. This is treason. Jon needs you...... "

"Jon needs me because he wants to keep an eye on me, " she interrupted, her voice sounding strangely calm. "Don't you get it? He doesn't trust me anymore, you and I both know what he's going to do, what he's going to do to me. "

"He's a good man, " Davos retorted. "He fought the battle of the bastards to protect you. He wouldn't do anything to you. "

"He's changed. And as far as I know the last king you served was a good man too. How did it go? "

The mention of Stannis Baratheon hits Davos hard. He trusted him so much, he thought he was the most honorable man he knew. But in the end the man lost himself, the Red God and Melisandre's false prophecy destroyed him.

And Jon was brought back by her God……

Did that unnatural resurrection have an effect on him? He began to have doubts.

"He's not like Stannis...... " Davos shook his head in denial.

"They say every Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin and the world holds its breath. They are different, Stannis is only a quarter blood of Targaryen and Jon is half, " Sansa said, "My brother says he will do what is necessary, and we both know that Cersei will not surrender easily. What will he use to fight her then? "

With Fire and Blood. Davos inexplicably thought of the image of Jon riding that dragon earlier today. The look in his eyes. And began to fear.

"Daenerys is also a Targaryen. "

"Her coin fell to the right side, but I'm not sure about Jon. All Targaryens who went mad in history were men."

"Help me, Ser Davos, " Sansa said, her cold blue eyes pleading. "I must go back and warn our people and lords, you know it's right. Please, help me get out of here."

Davos looked at her long enough, torn between the fact that he could not betray his king and the fear that she was right.

But Jon hasn't done anything yet, and maybe Cersei will surrender, and maybe tomorrow he can find a way to convince her to give up the hostage. There's still a chance.

"......another day, lady Sansa, " he finally replied, slowly.

**Jon**

They marched to the gate, Cersei Lannister, Euron Greyjoy and the Lannister archers standing on the battlements, looking down on them. The Mountain came up clutching the struggling Tormund, pushed him to the front.

His wildling friend was still wearing his gray coat, only now it looked more ragged. His face covered with bruises and scars, and he was handcuffed and had ligature marks around his wrists. Tormund helped him took back Winterfell and against the night king, even rode south with him. He had supported him ever since he was betrayed and resurrected, he lived and laughed and fought with him through all those time. He is in every way his brother except by blood.

The free folk of the real north were chained in the south. Jon watched. Fear and anger rose in his chest. 

His head started to hurt again.

At first he thought it was because he didn't sleep well and had enough food or he drank too much. But as the episodes became more and more frequent, he came to realize that the source of the pain was much more complicated, no, it is something in his blood, something is wrong. Ever since he came back from the dead, from the time he nearly killed Ramsay Snow to the time he rode on top of Rhaegal attacking night king to the time he kissed Dany that night, whenever he felt anger and pain and longing, it seethed and burned in his brain, ready to stir.

He tried to control it, to resist it, to avoid it, this other side of him he had never known or explored before, but only ended up surrendering to it again and again. In the back of his mind, he knew clearly and fearfully that one day he would lose this battle. And this moment would be his last straw.

If he lose it, he doesn’t know what he will do.

Help me...help...save him, please save him.

The Gate opened, Qyburn stepped out, Ser Davos also stepped forward to make the final peace talk.

"King Jon demands Cersei's unconditional surrender and the immediate release of the Free Folk Tormund. " said Davos heavily.

"Queen Cersei demands Jon Snow’s unconditional surrender and break his alliance with Daenerys. If he refuses, the Free Folk Tormund will die here and now." Qyburn replied.

"You were a Maester, a man of reason, " Davos persuaded. "If you kill him, you will lose the only opportunity king Jon and queen Daenerys give you. This could be our last chance to avoid carnage. "

They talked for a while, but apparently to no avail. Eventually Davos lost his patience, bypassed Qyburn and looked up at Cersei.

"I know you probably don't care about your people, " Davos shouted to her, his voice a little desperate, "but I've heard that you've always loved your children more than you love yourself, and no one wants to be a monster. "

"When queen Daenerys joins our king with her army, your reign is over, but that doesn't mean your life has to end. Think about it. "

Cersei Lannister looked at them for a long time with no expression on her face. Then she walked over to Tormund and leaned close to his ear. Jon stepped forward nervously, his heart pounding and the searing pain in his head growing stronger.

"If you have any last words, now is the time. " she said.

In that moment, he knew it was all in vain.

Euron Greyjoy walked up, took out a coat that has furs as white as the snow and put it on Tormund. Jon realized immediately what it was...

It was Ghost’s skin. 

The Mountain steps forward again, ready to wield his sword.

No, no, no, no……

"Strike hard, lion bitch, " Tormund said angrily, his face full of hate, "or the free folk will come back and haunt you! "

As soon as he said that, his head fell off the wall.

“We will see you again on the battlefield, bastard.” mocked Euron, as he kicked off the remaining body of his friend. Both him and Cersei left with smirks on their faces. 

Jon just felt something snap in his brain.

"You're saying my father lied to me. "   
"It doesn't matter what you want. "   
" But you, Lord Snow, you will be fighting their battles forever. "   
"You know nothing, Jon Snow. "   
"You're a good man, just like your father. "   
“He raped her.”  
“No, he loved her.”  
"You're the rightful heir to the iron throne, your name is Aegon Targaryen. "   
"DRACARYS! "

For a moment, he felt like his head was about to explode, thousands of words rang in his ears, thousands of emotions went through his mind. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cried, he felt his blood was boiling him inside out, but he can't open his mouth.

He's gonna die, he's gonna die, he's gonna die!

But then, all of a sudden, all the voices faded, and the headaches stopped.

And there’s only silence.

A strange sensation came to him. He felt fire was all over him but there was no pain, not anymore. In fact, he felt warm, like he finally woke up from a cold, deep slumber.

He knew what he had to do.

Aegon Targaryen turned and walked back, the light his eyes burning like fire.

The white wolf is dead. Only the dragon remains.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let it be fear.

**Davos**

His king summoned him to the beach at Dragonstone with Rhaegal by his side.

After that day, Jon locked himself away, barely sleeping or eating, seeing almost no one but Lord Edd(who also fell into the same silence situation as his king after seeing their friend beheaded), few of his trusted wildling men and, of course, his dragon. In these days he and his dragon seemed to have developed a very close bond, they were practically inseparable. This beast might be the poor man's last remaining companion. Davos was not surprised about it, but also feelling terrified.

"Your Grace, you wanted to see me? " Said Davos, bowing slightly.

His king did not answer him at once, still leaning back, was now intently stroking Rhaegal's neck, who hissed back to his rider, as if in empathized with him. Finally he turned, the dragon's wings cast a shadow over him, plus it was late afternoon, Davos couldn't see his face clearly.

"Someone betrayed me." he said, his voice hoarse.

For a moment, Davos felt his heart stop a beat. Had he discovered Sansa's intentions? Since that day, lady Stark has been writing secret letters to the lords everywhere, warning them of her brother's mental state because of his true birth and lying that he imprisoned and abused her. Asking for the armies’ support. She also repeatedly asking him to help her escape. And soon her cry for help was answered, an assassin came to Dragonstone to try to kill their king in his sleep. But Jon hardly slept, and Longclaw never left his side, before he could cut off the assassin’s second finger, he gave away Lord Glover’s name, their king cut off his limbs before cutting off his head, the horrible bloody sight and the man’s screams still turn Davos’ stomach up side down. Sansa had committed serious treason, but he couldn't bring himself to expose her, and he doesn’t want to betray his king.

Just when he thought he was about to blurt it out, the other person spoke first.

"Dany......"Jon's voice was full of pain, his black figure trembled slightly.

Davos breathed a sigh of relief, but he was also confused.

"She told Tyrion a secret about me, and because of that Tyrion told Cersei about our location. That's why we were ambushed. "

"I see... " He gasped, realizing that the Imp was behind everything. Davos, too, felt a sense of betrayal and began to question why he was so slow and dull as the hand of their king.

"I beg your pardon, Your Grace, for my negligence in not anticipating this. " he replied.

"Do you know it, my secret? Tell me. " This time Jon finally emerged from the shadows. Davos finally saw how tired he looked, with his messy wavy hair and pale face.

"Don't lie, Ser Davos. You know how much I hate lies. "

He stared at him, his dark, round eyes so dull that there’s not even a single trace of light in them. Davos felt goose bumps all over his body. He knew he had to tell the truth.

"Yes, I know." he answered dryly. 

Jon took a deep breath, looking helpless and miserable.

"Then soon everyone will know, and I will lose everything...... "

"You will have your crown, " Ser Davos persuaded. "Daenerys made you a promise. You are the rightful heir. People will support you. "

Jon gave a sad snort.

"People love Dany, even if she doesn't see it yet. She'll give me a crown but I will not have love. This is all meaningless." he said, "Don't you see? Why Glover sent his man to assassinate me? Tyrion must have told him the truth too. They all want to get rid of me.”

Now Davos doesn't know what to say anymore. He doesn't know what to say to save the situation that was doomed to lose.

“Can I trust you, Ser Davos? ” Jon demanded, after a moment of silence, “will you betray me like the others?”

“... no, your grace, I will never betray you, ” he said, hold on to his quivering severed finger. In fact, he’s not so sure.

“Good, then tell me, ” he said, taking a step forward. “Does Sansa have anything to do with this? Does she know?”

“You know what he’ll do to me. ” He remembered what she had told him that day.

Davos’ heart pounding louder and louder.

  
“No, ” he replied, “she doesn’t know. ”

This time, he lied.

Jon narrowed his eyes, fear rising in Davos’s chest. He looked at him for a long time, but at last he sighed and steped back

  
"Let Ser Brienne train our men, and send new guards to keep lady Sansa in her chamber, " Before turning his back, Jon commanded.

"Kill all the ravens in Dragonstone. Tomorrow morning I will question my sister myself. "

“Before Stannis Baratheon burned Shireen, Ser Davos, what was he like? What was his state of mind? " Sansa's words from that day on the ship again echoed in his mind.

He remembered that man’s scream again.

And with that, his king turned and walked back towards the castle. Rhaegal roared to him and flew away. As if it’s the last warning.

Davos quitted the shore trembling,

That night, after he had instructed his men, he used wine to make the guards who were guarding Sansa Stark passed out, led her out of the castle to a small boat by the sea.

If he helped Gendry successfully escape before, he can help her this time too.

"Thank you, Ser Davos, " said Sansa gratefully. Davos smiled.

He looked up and saw lord Edd and his men coming towards them.

**Daenerys**

The journey along the Kingsroad was long and tiring, but eventually they reached Dragonstone.

During those days she had been sleepy, and her appetite is growing. It’s kind of strange but it may be a good sign. Missandei, Ser Jorah and Drogon are with her at all times, but even so she can not help thinking of Rhaegal, she remembered the day she had ordered him to leave her, his screamed of sadness and anger and confusion, he probably would hate his mother because of it, but Daenerys knew she had to let him protect Jon.

Thinking of Jon, Daenerys begins to feel a twinge of worry. She heard about what happened. Cersei somehow learned their route, attacked him and killed his Direwolf and wildling friend. She mourned their deaths, she couldn't imagine how Jon would handle it.

In her view, she felt that he should not have acted so rush at that time. If he had waited for her and her armies to reach Dragonstone, perhaps they could have managed to save Tormund. But then again, she understood his anxiety, if it was Missandei who was captured, she would have done the same. Unfortunately, after all this time, Cersei hadn’t showed any surrender or concessions, and her action of sneak attack and killing the hostage had already broken the opportunity they gave her. She needs to pay for what she had done. Storming into the city seems inevitable, even if Daenerys isn't happy about it. But as long as commoners and women and children won’t get any harm, it would be acceptable.

Did someone give away their route? Daenerys can't help but wonder, if that's the case, then everyone in that meeting is a suspect, but why? She doesn't understand.

She thought inexplicably of Tyrion, of his argument with Jon at the meeting and his reaction to her revelation. But he was a reasonable man, and he swore to her in front of her dragon, no, Tyrion wouldn't do such a thing. However, years of experience had taught her that she couldn't trust anyone fully.

Her thoughts often drifted to that night, Jon's hot lips and touch, his hand on her face, his pretty brown eyes pleading, told her how much he loved her and how sorry he was, showing his determination, even though she had already forgave him. At that moment, she could not help crying, everything was like the most beautiful dream she could ever dream of. If she had not turned away, let him see her vulnerable moment, she almost would say ‘Yes’. But then she realized the dream will always wake up, they couldn't let go of their duties, so she made up her mind to reject him. If they did, there would be no future for this continent.

The witch's curse still lingered in her mind. Jon had doubted about it multiple times, but she knew it was true. It might have been hard for him to accept her departure, but Daenerys understood it was because he had been through so much, lost so much. Over time, she believed that his grief could be alleviated, he could move on as well as she did and understand her intentions. After all, he is that kind of man, he would always do the right thing.

Until she saw him again, Daenerys wasn't so sure.

As soon as they arrived on the island, she learned that the king in the North was going to execute Ser Davos. She didn't know the specific reason, but according to the wildlings, Davos had betrayed their king.

Jon stood before the rocky cliffs of Dragonstone with Long Claw bound to his waist, Rhaegal stood behind him. He was no longer wearing his armor with sigil of House Stark, instead he was in full black. His black curls that had been tied up were now let down, waving in the sea breeze. His face was so pale, dark circles were under his eyes, he looked almost sickly. Even when he was nearly killed trying to catch a white, she had never seen him so gaunt as he was now.

Seeing him like this, Daenerys couldn’t help but feeling guilty. 

Maybe she shouldn't have left him for so long……

Jon's brown eyes looked at her again, with that same kind of burning heat in them, they almost looked black in the firelight of the night, like the color of dragonglass. He always liked to look at her that way, she knew if she wasn't careful, she would burn with him. She ducked her head, not knowing how to face him.

The guards led Ser Davos forward, the old man looked nervous but somehow at ease, as if he had finally been released from some great pressure. He looked at Jon, his eyes full of disappointment.

Sansa Stark stood beside him, trembling and apologetic.

"It's all right, " he said to her. "Take care, Lady Stark. "

"Ser Davos, " Jon began impassively, his voice was deep and hoarse, "I, Jon Snow, First of his name, King in the North and Lord of Winterfell, sentence you to die. "

He took the Long Claw from his waist and swung it, cut off Ser Davos' head quick and clean. Rhaegal spat out the fire, soon the body was reduced to black bones.

Fire and Blood, Daenerys realized. Something had changed in her nephew.

"Sansa Stark of Winterfell." he continued, turning to her, pressing forward step by step, with hatred in his eyes that shocked even Daenerys. "You betrayed your brother, trying to escape when we are about to fight Cersei Lannister and spreading false information to the lords to let them turn on me. You have already committed treason."

"However, I have no intention to be a kinslayer, not yet," he said, changing the subject. ”It’s too easy for you. ”

"Once the war is over, you will travel north of the wall to make your penance in exile. I will strip you of your name, your title, the wildlings will not help you, you can not marry and have children. You must live all by yourself. "

"And die alone. "

“If you ever try to escape again, I will execute you by buring at the stake slowly and painfully, until there is nothing left.”

Tears ran down Sansa's face, even her red hair shook in agony.

Daenerys understood that he was doing what he had to do. But for some reason, she knew something was wrong, something was terribly wrong, no, it shouldn't be like this, her Jon shouldn’t be like this, all of a sudden, she began to fear what he was about to become.

A true dragon.

“You don’t want to wake the dragon, do you?” Suddenly, she remembered her brother’s words.

Jon looked at her for the last time, sadness appeared on his face, then he turned away and never looked back.

She knew she had to talk to him.

When she knocked on the door, Jon let her in, just like they were on the boat that day, only their roles were switched.

He sat in front of the fireplace, staring at the flames, cup in his hand, seemed to have drank a lot. He looked so, so lonely.

Guilt crept back into Daenerys's mind. For a moment, she didn't know where to start, but stood silently at his side in the distance, dared not to go forward.

“Edd only brought back Ghost’s skin, ” he murmured. ” I burned it. I don’t want to remember him in that way.”

Dany wanted to hug him, to comfort him as much as she could, but the growing sense of guilt that she felt trapped her tongue. All those time she can only keep apologizing for what he had lost, but nothing to help him with the terrible reality that he was in, if she could, she was willing to give him everything she had.

"I have to do it, " he said, as if talking to himself, "I begged you not to tell anyone my secret that night, but you did. Tyrion told Sansa and exposed my location to Cersei, Sansa collued with Glover to murder me and told Davos to tried to let him to help her escape, and this is what happened."

All of a sudden, Daenerys felt nothing but a void in her mind, and then filled in with anger and regret.

Tyrion betrayed her, betrayed them, and it was all her fault. What had she done? Of course, Daenerys understood why he did it, because he wanted to see her on the iron throne, he didn't trust Jon. How foolish she was not to see that, she should have never trusted him, she should have fed him to her dragons already!

"I'm sorry, " said Daenerys, almost wanted to cry. "for everything that happened to you. When the war is over, I'll trialed him myself. I swear to you. "

"……You betrayed me, too, " Jon said, not responding to her apology, there was only grief in his voice, without any reproach. "You see now, Dany, it doesn't matter what we both want. "

Maybe he's right, Daenerys thought.

"I'm sorry, I’m so sorry. " she could only say again, not knowing what else to say at this point.

Jon stood up and walked over to her. He looked at her again with those eyes and lifted her face up. His hands were so warm and strong.

"You know I can never blame you, " he said, his voice so soft, so gentle, like the finest wine. "We can still leave together, you know. "

"We can run away together, forget about everything, and stay a thousand years in that waterfall, just like you said. " He pleaded, his face full of longing.

His curly hair was so jet black, his beard was so manly, his scars above his lovely boyish features made him looks so handsome. Then he kissed her, so deep, so hot, in that moment, Daenerys knew she could no longer escape him.

She responded to his kiss, shamelessly breathing and sucking the breath of wine out of his mouth. Next he began to undress her, untied the first button. The last two Targaryens, kissing and burning together as if it were the end of the world. But then, before things got completely out of control, before she got completely out of control, she realized what she was doing and pushed him away again.

"We shouldn’t do this, " she said to him. "You are my heir. When you sit on the iron throne, you will marry a suitable woman to be your queen and give birth to your children. "

What she could never do.

In that moment, sadness swallowed him.

"Is that all I am to you now? " He said, voice trembled, his face overflowing with despair. "Your heir? "

He stepped up again, pressing his lips against hers desperately, as if searching for help. But this time Daenerys didn’t move, she resisted it and stepped back. She could no longer let herself fall like this. 

That’s when the light in his eyes disappeared completely.

She then realized it was a mistake.

Daenerys moved forward wanting to explain, but he avoided her touch, like a wounded animal.

"All right, then... " he said, lowering his head in pain, and when he looked up again, resentment appeared in his eyes.

"If that's what you really think, then I'll take that damn chair and be your king of the seven kingdoms. "

He said, about to leave his room. A sense of unease swirled around Daenerys, she was afraid of what he might do.

"Wait! " She called to him, hoping for some sort of confirmation. "As soon as the bell rings tomorrow, we'll stop the attack, right? "

Jon looked back at her for a long time, nodded slightly, without any expression.

Daenerys worried about what he was thinking right now——

Let it be fear.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war begins.

**Flashback** **AC304 on the boat to Winterfell**

  
When he awoke, Dany was curled up in his arms, her eyes half closed, the corners of her mouth slightly up. The night before had been passionate and sweet, he had never felt so happy and alive. 

“Morning. ” See him moving, she opened her eyes and looked up , her eyes filled with love.

“Morning, ” he replied, smiling at her.

“Did you sleep well last night? ”

“Better than Tormund after drinking giant milk, ” he said, half-jokingly. “I hope I didn’t snore though. ”

Dany let out a little laugh.

“I didn’t think you were the joking type, ” she said, attaching his chest and raising an eyebrow somewhat unexpectedly.

“I just found out I do, ” he said, trying to look pitiful. “Please, Your Grace, tell me, or I might die of embarrassment. ”

“No, you didn’t snore. ” She chuckled back.

“Well, that’s a relief, ” he said, and they both laughed again, with Dany’s face bashfully buried in his neck.

“How did you get these scars? ” After the laughs, she looked at the gaps and asked curiously, seeing him frown, she changed the subject, “I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to—”

“It’s alright,”he said, he know that he has to be honest to her, remembering those bad times, “When I was Lord Commander of the night’s watch, some of my brothers in black were unhappy with my decision to let the wildlings into the wall, so they betrayed me, assassinated me and stabbed me six times. ”

Dany listened, frowning, angry at what they did to him. “I’m sorry, ” she said, “But with such severe wounds, how did you survive? ”

“I didn’t. A red women brought me back, with that my vow to the night’s watch also ended. ”

“The red women? You mean the red priests?”

“You know them?”

“No, I’ve only seen one in Dragonstone, and I know that Volantis is their main temple, but that’s all, ” she answered, “I believe you.”  
  
He nodded, appreciate her for her trust. Few people would believe him after hearing this seemingly ridiculous story. 

“What about you?” He asked with equal curiosity. “How did you birth your dragons? ”

” ... After the witch cursed my husband and children, I was desperate,” she replied after a moment of silence, “I know I didn’t marry him willingly. Khal Drogo raped me, but they were the only things I could hold on to in this world at that moment. I had no family, no loved ones, and when I lost them too, all I wanted to do is to die with them. ”

Jon was deeply sorry and saddened for her, if he could have been there for her and protected her, he would have.

“So I walked into the fire with his body and three dragon eggs, but when the fire burned out, instead of turning in to ashes, I came out with three dragons. ”

“From that moment on I knew they were my children, and the only children I will have. ”

Jon hoped he would prove it wrong. Though he did not know if he was enough. 

Seeing her still frowning, he knew that she was probably thinking of Viserion. He took her in his arms and kissed her forehead, comforting her in silence.

Then, suddenly, she chuckled. 

“What’s wrong?” Jon asked, puzzled.

“Nothing, it’s just... It’s strange, isn’t it?” she said, “If I had died that day, if you hadn’t been resurrected, if we hadn’t survived, Then we wouldn’t have met, we wouldn’t be here, at the end of the world, trying to save it... ”

“It almost feels like destiny.”he said, finished that sentence for her.

“Yes. ” She smiled and looked at him tenderly. He had always been suspicious of destiny and fate, but this time he was willing to believe that it had all been planned.

“What will happen then?” He asked,“If the war is over, if we defeat the night king and Cersei, if we survive. ”

“Then we will build a new world, a better world, ” she said, almost without thinking.

“What will the new world be like ” He asked.

“A world of beautiful men, women and happy children, a world where little boys and girls don’t have to go into exile for the sins of their parents, a world where no baby is named bastard, ” she answered, playing with his hair. 

Jon listened intently, entranced by her words.

“Together, we will break the wheel together, ” she said, there’s hope in her eyes.

It almost sounded too good to be true, though he still didn’t fully understand it, but in that moment, Jon knew he wanted to live with her in that new world, to build it with her, he began to allow himself to imagine a future, a future with her, a future that belongs to them.   
  


In that moment, he began to hope.

  
  
Hope is a dangerous thing, because when it shatters, the consequences will be disastrous.

**Present**

**Sansa**

First they locked her in the dungeons of Dragonstone, and when they marched near King's Landing they locked her in a tent, Jon made sure she had no chance to escape.

Sansa sighed sadly.

This is how she, the daughter of Ned Stark and Catelyn Tully, will meet her end, exiled by her cousin and die alone.

Her brother, no, Aegon Targaryen, has become a monster.

A part of her knew that he had loved her and would have done anything for her if she had been wise enough to trust him in the first place, to support him in his time of grief instead of keeping taking and asking from him and betraying him behind his back, maybe none of this would have happened, but it has, and regret is never good for anything.

No, he hurt her, killed Ser Davos, exposed his true self, just as her mother had feared, he was like the other men in her life, he was like Joffrey, Littlefinger, Ramsay Snow, or even worse, she knew exactly what he was going to do. Tyrion was right all along.

Nobody could protect her, and in the end, nobody would protect her.

As she struggled to wipe the tears from her face, a dark figure appeared outside the tent, said something to the guards, and distracted them. Then the figure came in. It was Ser Brienne.

"Lady Sansa, " Brienne said, her face full of sympathy, and, after looking from side to side to make sure no one was watching, she leaned over her.

"Ser Davos left me a message before he died. Tomorrow, before the war begins, I will come and unlock you, beneath the Red Keep, where they keep the dragon skulls, I will escort you there. Keep following the stairways down, down as far as they’ll go, you will come out to a beach at the foot of the keep where he has arranged a dinghy for you. " she said

"Sail out to the bay. If the winds are kind, you’ll make it to Pentos, where you can hide your name and start a new life. "

More tears poured from Sansa's eyes, Brienne, her last guardian, her only friend, thanked gods, if it had not been for her, she would have taken her own life before going north of the wall.

"Don't you want to escape? " Sansa sobbed, full of gratitude. "You don't need to fight this war, Brienne. Come with me. We can part at White Harbor, and from there you can go back to Ser Jaime. "

Brienne's eyes drooped when she heard the name of the Jaime Lannister.

"I don't know, " she murmured, probably thinking of their parting moment. "Cersei has always been a knot in his mind, if I could help him end it, I will. "

Sansa nodded, respecting her choice.

There's still hope.

  
**Jon**

The war has begun.

He and Daenerys rode on the back of Rhaegal and Drogon, together, they destroyed Euron Greyjoy's iron fleet and Golden Company with little effort. Jon began to wonder why they hadn't done so earlier, saving all the drudgery.

This is for you, Ghost, this is for you, Tormund.

People were screaming and running, looking small and pathetic like insects from above. Daenerys didn’t enjoy it, her face was full of discomfort. But Jon felt only numbness. He actually couldn’t feel anything.

Like insects, small and pathetic.

They landed their dragons on the opposite buildings, blocked the path of the Lannister's army, surrounded them. The soldiers looked at them, trembling, their eyes full of fear, knowing that resistance was pointless, one after another put down their swords and began to beg.

"Ring the bell! " They shouted.

"Please! " They cried.

All this sounds to him just like meaningless noises.

This is what it feels like to have power. This is what it feels like to be a dragon. It occurred to Jon

Finally, the bell rang and the crowd began to quiet down, Daenerys looked back at him with a sigh of relief, a nervous look appeared on her face. According to her, they should stop attacking now, the war was over. But Jon knew, it's not that simple if you want to stop the war once and for all. It’s not that simple.

“If you use them to melt castle and burn city, you’re no different.”

He remembered those words he said to her when they first met, he couldn’t help but laugh at himself. What a pretentious hypocrite he was! What a fool! He was living in a fake life long enough to fool himself to actually believe it. Desperately trying to fit in what he thought to be his family but never really belong, letting them demand him and emotionally abuse him again and again. And he stupidly thought he was some kind of hero. He was weak. Being a northern bastard and Ned Stark’s disgusting self-righteous mind had poisoned him.

Lies! All fucking lies!

Aegon the conqueror and his sisters united Westeros, restored peace to the long-conflicted seven kingdoms. But it was not mercy that make them achieve it, it was their three dragons, it was Fire and Blood.

Daenerys's goodness blinds her to this, but Jon knew that peace is at the expense of countless sacrifices. Just like when he killed his brothers in black who betrayed him, just like when he executed those Bolton’s soldiers. Those schemers and traitors would never listen unless you show them the consequences. Even if they stop Cersei, there will still be other lords, other usurpers and manipulators of power who will rise up against them, try to kill him or even her and start more wars.

He thought of what the war had taken from him, how those lies had hurt him. At first he thought it was truth that ruined everything, but no, he slowly realized it, it was the war and lies, they had taken away Arya, Sam, Ghost, Tormund, they had taken away his birth right, his parents, the life he supposed to have, and also, Dany’s love. Without those two, she wouldn’t have been on the run, and he wouldn’t have grown up with shame, they would have been live together, they would have been happy. The war and lies had taken everything from him, all that remained were rage and his growing hatred.

There's no point in being the shield of the realms and all his loved ones have gone or betrayed him or was going to leave him, he has nothing left, they would never return even though they were what he wanted the most. But there was still one, there was still one thing he wants that he could accomplish, it was stopping the war and lies, it was the only thing he can do now, and he will do it, he will do whatever it takes, do what is necessary.

“We are going to break the wheel.” That’s what she said to him on the boat. He understood now, he finally sees it, those plotters, those ignorant high born nobles that run this world, they were the real threat, the true enemies, just like the night king and his army of the dead, they turned everyone into pawns for their games, into their puppets and stoping them was his real purpose, this is why he was brought back to life, this is his destiny all along.

Even if it means he has to make an example here, even if it means he has to burn down the whole world and build one with new order on it, a better world. He will do it.

No more. No more wars. No more lies. No more Snow.

What Rhaegar Targaryen started will end with his son Aegon Targaryen.

Jon rode Rhaegal straight up to the sky and then dived down.

  
**Sansa**

  
She watched Brienne stabbed Euron Greyjoy through the throat.

They arrived at King's Landing early then the armies, but the gate were already closed. In desperation, they had to take the long way around to the beach, but they didn't expect to meet Euron, who also wanted to escape by boat. Brienne fought him for a long time and was nearly defeated, but eventually the madman's arrogance and ravings made him careless, he lost his last shot and was killed by her knight.

"I guess this is farewell, " Brienne said to her as they smiled at each other.

"Thank you, Brienne. " said Sansa, in a sigh of relief and hugged her.

"There is nothing to thank. " Brienne replied, releasing her slowly. "I made a promise to your mother, and I will keep it. It is my duty and honor to protect you. "

"Are you sure you are not going come with me? " She asked again, not sure her knight was a match for the Mountain.

"No, " Brienne said, her mind made up. "This is something that I must do. "

"For him, for our future. "

With that, she lowered her head and touched her belly.

In that moment, Sansa understood, she couldn't help but be happy for her friend.

"I hope it’s a boy, so he won’t suffer like you and I. "

"Maybe, " Brienne replied, looking at her, "Lady Sansa, when you reach Essos safely, will you please write to Ser Jaime? Tell him I'm all right……Tell him no matter what happens…… I love him."

Sansa knows what she means, but no, she won't let that happen, she won’t her friend think like that.

"Or you can go back to him safely and tell him that yourself. " she said. Then they nodded at each other. Sansa watched Brienne turn and walk in the opposite direction, disappearing at the end of the tunnel.

All of a sudden, she looked up and saw a green dragon appear above the Red Keep. With a flash of fire, the top of the castle collapsed.

"BRIENNE! " Sansa screamed, but there was no response.

  
**Daenerys**

She watched in horror as her nephew rode down from the sky on the back of the dragon. He commanded Rhaegal, dark eyes filled with hatred, flames covered the street immediately.

No, no! This is not how it's supposed to happen! She has to stop him!

Daenerys led Drogon toward and chased him, trying to control this terrible situation. She called Rhaegal in her full strength, ordering him in Valyrian in the hope that her child will stop and obey his mother. But he was now in full surrender to the fury of his rider, breathing fire wildly at those below, just like when they were in Meereen, her child were once again out of her control.

"Rhaegal! Rhaegal! Stop! " She shouted again, but it was no use.

As Jon made his way to the Red Keep, the flames knocked down the castle spire with ease, the hundred-year-old structure began to shake and crumble. Daenerys finally caught up with him, shouting for Jon to stop, but just when she thought Drogon was about to bite his brother's neck, the other person seemed to anticipate it, suddenly flew straight up, the smoke from the fire obscuring Daenerys' view, before she knew it, she and her dragon had already hit the walls of the Red Keep.

The impact took a heavy toll on Drogon, making him lose the ability to fly, spiraled downward.

It was over, it was all over, Daenerys thought desperately, as she and her dragon fell to the ground. Without the help of her child, she had to come down on foot, got up, picked up a sword beside her and raised her head as she had done in the long night. Then she saw what happen.

The Northern troops, the wildlings, the dothraki and the unsullied all lost their control, began to slaughter the surrendered Lannister soldiers and the common people, chopping, shouting, blood splattering, limbs and heads falling, no one could come to their senses, no one could stop this violent rapture.

"Retreat! Retreat! " Daenerys shouted intensely to her soldiers, her heart racing to her throat, but in the midst of all the chaos, no one had the heart to heed a small woman's commands.

Ser Jorah appeared in the crowd, cut down some of Lannister's soldiers, saw her, and ran forward.

“Khaleesi! " He cried nervously.

"Stay back! Withdraw our troops! Now! " Daenerys shouted at him. Their soldiers were killing commoners. Now was not the time to protect her.

Ser Jorah nodded his head in torn and ran back. She wished him success and be safe.

Rhaegal flew over her head and cast a huge shadow. It was the first time she had seen it from this kind of angle. Flames dropped like rain. Plus the sound of women and children’s crying far away. She felt like even the sky was shaking with them.

This is what power brings.

This is what her dragons bring.

Daenerys watched the tragedy unfold before her eyes and felt as if her heart would be crushed into dust.

What on earth are they doing?

What on earth is she doing?

She looked out into the distance, a dothraki cut the throat of a mother who was protecting her child and was about to attack her daughter.

This is her men, a bunch of cold-blooded murderers……

No, she thought, no, she can not be crushed by grief and remorse now, not now, she must do something. She is Daenerys Targaryen, she must help and save innocent people!

"Stop! " Daenerys shouted at the man in Dothraki, pointing her sword at him and staring angrily. The man seemed to finally recognize their queen and raise his arms.

"Tell your men to retreat now." she said menacingly, ignoring him and taking the little girl's trembling hand, began to run outside.

If protecting this child and many more children is all she can do now, then she will.

"Come with me now, or we'll all die! " She shouted at the weeping women and children with slightly burned on the side of the street, more and more people began to join her, running after her. Daenerys charging ahead, fighting with her sword against those who stood in their way. They crossed the streets, across houses and dark alleys, and at last reached the gate.

We're almost there, almost there! Daenerys thought anxiously.

Abruptly, the broken building at her back toppled down, flooded the people who were still coming behind her.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

All of a sudden, Daenerys just felt dizzy and collapsed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I wrote it. Jon burning KL. Yes maybe he has become a cruel and seems like "Mad" person but he's NOT crazy. He just see things clearly now in a different way just like canon!Dany. He understand now is useless trying to do things in a peaceful honorable way, the only method to unite is through fear. I think D&D had forced too much modern standerd to the show and its character. Many time in our history. Peace always achieve with great sacifices. Especially in time of the monachs. Commen people are always the one that died no matter they are innocent or not. Like in my culture, there was a great emperor called Ying Zheng in Chinese history, he is the first emperor of Qin dynasty. At that time there were 7 kingdoms in our land (Yes it's really similar to the show situation, interesting right) when he first started his conquest. To unite the whole realm he started 22 wars and killed millions and millions of people including the soldiers who surrendered and the commeners of the kingdoms he had conquered. He is a tyrant indeed in modern view and I'm not saying I agree with his actions but history is hostory. He does achieve great things that no monachs before had ever done and he unifying languages and measures and defined the original territory of China today(basically because of his veiw of unity China now is a country) He is viewed as one of the greatest emperor in our history. So yeah that's pretty much about it. I think Dany in the show at the end is very clear of what she's doing when she realized that her ideal way of doing things is unrealistic and need to take extrem actions and so does Jon in this fic. The next chaper will still be Dany's pov. It's her veiw of the situation that happen so it will be a little misleading. She will see Jon as this "mad" person but he's actually not.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the snow in the world turn into ashes.

** Sansa **

By the time she found Brienne, it was too late.

She watched Jon bathed King's Landing in fire, as she had always feared and expected. Sansa knew she should have walked away, she should have run, but in the end she couldn't let go of Brienne. So she waited until the flames were about to die out, then carefully turned around and came back.

Her knight lay in ruins of Red Keep, losing the sign of life, her sword thrust into the chest of Cersei Lannister, their bodies crushed under bricks.

Brienne, her guardian, her only friend left, the last hope her mother gave her, died here, along with her unborn child.

It was her brother who took her away from her. He took away her rightful title and power, for his birth, countless disaster followed afterwards. If it hadn't been for his parents' insistence on giving life to him, the war never would have begun, her father and mother and Robb would not have lost their lives, she would not have been afraid all the time and running for years, she would have been happy. Her family had done everything to protect him, and this was the reward he gave them.

Great grief and anger rose form Sansa’s chest. She hated him. She hated everything he had done to her. If she could, she would take her revenge on him in the most horrible way possible. She began to cry out in pain, kicking and beating those damn bricks. Finally, she lost all her strength and fell to the ground.

She sat there blankly for god knows how long, until the soldiers found her and took her away.

  
**Daenerys**

When she woke up, it was snowing in King's Landing, just like when Jon brought her to Winterfell, just like when she saw it in the House of the Undying. When the hot white spot actually landed on her face, Daenerys realized it's not snow, it's ash.

She got up and went forward, saw the bodies of burned men lying on the ground. The disgusting smell of roasted human flesh filling in the air, all around were people’s screams and cries of pain. There came a figure in front of her, it was one of the survivors of the disaster, his eyes glassy, body burned, red flesh and bones exposed from it. He walked pass her, she wasn't sure how long the poor man would make.

She remembered the time in Essos when that women came to her palace and showed her the bones of her child who was burned by her dragon.

Suddenly, a sickening sensation stirred in her stomach, Daenerys bent down and began retching.

"Your Grace! " A voice came up in front of her, Daenerys looked up with difficulty to see Missandei coming toward her.

Thank gods she's okay!

Daenerys scrambled to her feet and hugged her, still fighting the nausea.

"Where’s Ser Jorah? " She asked.

"He’s with the unsullied and the Dothraki outside the city. "

"And Drogon? "

"He’s hurt, but I saw him on the way here, he's fine." Missandei answered, Daenerys sighed with relief.

"Are you all right? " Missandei asked, obviously seeing her earlier behavior.

"I'm fine, " she answered, straightening herself up, taking her eyes away from the bodies around her, steadying herself from fainting. "It's been happening a lot lately. "

As soon as she said it, a feeling of nausea came over her throat and she had to bow her head again.

"That is what I am worried about, Your Grace." said Missandei, as she hastily lifted her up, thoughtfully.

"I’ve checked, you haven’t had your moon blood for a few moons……”

“I think you're pregnant. "

Daenerys's eyes widened in shock, and for a split second, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

All of her previous signs of lethargy and increased appetite were explained.

She's pregnant with Jon's child.

All those children died because of them, and she got pregnant with her own.

"Only death can pay for life. "

Tears welled up in Daenerys's eyes, she finally understood what the witch had meant.

A dragon's roar came from above and pulled her back to reality.

Daenerys knew it was time to face him.

"Stay here." she said to Missandei, rising to her feet and moving forward step by step. The further she went, the faster her heart beat. At last she reached in front of what was used to be the gate of the Red Keep, where the armies of the north and the legions of the wildlings had gathered, some standing solemnly, others shouting with excited eyes, awaiting the return of their king. It seems that all the tragedy that has just happened has had no effect on them at all.

Rhaegal flew over them, landed behind what was left of the platform and the wildings cheered again.

Then Daenerys saw Jon emerge from it slowly. The green dragon spread its wings behind him.

The Dragon King has arrived.

The crowd made a way for her. Daenerys, too, stepped up the steps and watched him. She stood at the foot of the pillar a few metres away from him, fear and worry rising in her heart.

Jon avoided her gaze. Without any expression his face, he looked at his armies and began his speech.

"Solders! " He shouted, in a loud voice, "Today you have fought bravely. Defeated and destroyed all those who stood in your way and saved the people from the tyranny of Cersei Lannister. ”

"Some of the rumors are true, you and I have been deceived by a lie. My true parents are Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, who married in secret in Dorne under the witnesses of high septon and gave birth to me. My uncle Ned Stark lied to me in defence of his traitorous false king Robert Barathone, raised me as his bastard son. My aunt Queen Daenerys here and the documents kept in the citadel can prove it. My true name is Aegon Targaryen, sixth of his name, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Today the true king of Westeros has finally returned. "He said, Rhaegal roared at his side.

"Free Folks and Night’s Watch! You have nothing, yet you have to worry about everything. You have suffered the cold but fought through the long night for all mankind. You have no land but crossed the Great Wall to the south. Just like your name, you are the true warriors of freedom, you are the sword in the darkness, only you can endure what you have endured."

"Northerners! You have won Winterfell, your own home, and you have ridden south for the people of the north to get rid of the threat of tyrants. You are the true heroes of our land, the defenders of the realms. "

“But our mission has not yet finished. For the real enemies are still sitting above us.” Jon continued, “No matter where you from. No matter who you are. You may think you are fighting for your own beliefs. But in truth we are all a part of the same games. Manipulated by others. Those cowardly lords and schemers spread lies in their own interests, casted us asides, made us fighting each other meaninglessly in the name of so called honor while keep demanding and taking from us, costs us everything. I understand you. I may be born a king, but I grew up an outsider and suffered greatly from them just like everyone here. I endured their humiliation, sacrificed my name, my title and even my life for the realm in order to serve and save them from the threat of the army of the dead. And yet people still aren’t listening, still plot behind others and willing to start more wars. I have made every effort, only got nothing and more betrayal in return.”

"Let what happen today be a lesson. For the future peace. We will punish those plotters who throw the world into chaos, As long as the threats exist, we will not lay down our swords! They will pay for what they have done to us! From the north of the wall to Dorne, from Lannisport to Qarth, from the Summer Isles to the Jade Sea! Men, women and children who suffer under the manipulation of power, we will save them all from war! And build a better world! "

"Will you fight for me! For our common cause! " He said at last.

After a moment of silence, Edd was the first one to raise his sword, and many more followed him. Excitement and incitation were written on their faces, everyone seemed in high spirits.

"Long live King Aegon! " People shouted over and over, waving their weapons, fanaticism burning in their eyes.

Daenerys stared at Jon, trying to find a trace of remorse in his face, but he only breathed in enjoyment and sighed with a satisfying smile.

Madness, she realized. That’s what it is.

He turned, took one last look at her and left, escorted by northern soldiers.

Daenerys frowned, looked to her right, find Ser Jorah standing beside her, watching Jon as well.

"What are you doing here? " said Daenerys, worried about her guardian. "Ser Jorah, you should have waited for me outside the gate. "

"You know I can’t let go of you, Khaleesi, I must come back to make sure you’re safe." said Jorah, with worried appeared in his eyes too.

She hugged him tightly to find some comfort.

"Now that you know. I’m fine. It's time for you to go, " she said, letting go of him and smiled. "I'll be with you in a moment. "

This could be a lie.

  
She knew that as her original plan, she should have held the meeting and prepared to leave the continent with her people already. But it was now clear that she couldn’t, and she wouldn’t allow herself to do so.

Jorah nodded, holding her shoulder.

“Daenerys,”he said, calling her in a way he rarly used, his voice was uneasy and anxious, “You know it’s too late. ”

“There is a beast in every man, ” He said, “and his has already been awakened. ”

Maybe….she thought painfully. Viserys’ words has come true.

And she again was partly the cause of it.

“Jorah,” she called him by his name this time,“No matter what happens, promise me you will take my people home, please, promise me.”

She looked at him, eyes full of determination. 

Jorah pause for a moment, knowing that there is no way he could convinced her, sighed and nodded, left her reluctantly, leaving Daenerys ponder alone.

She knew what he meant, that she had already lost him, that he would keep doing it. She couldn’t help but have a mixed feeling of guilt, anger, sadness and confusion. She had seen the same thing happen to Viserys, now that she thought about it, instead of be there for him in the first place, she avoided him too, helped him along his own path to destruction and in the end let Drogo killed him. This madness seemed like a curse that was hard for her family to escape, but was it really? If it’s true shouldn’t she meet the same fate too? Would she do the same if what happen to Jon happen to her? She knew she should have stood up to Jon, should have confronted him on the spot just now, and rebuked him for his acts of terror. But she couldn't do it, because she was part of the cause of the disaster, one of the people who push him to this, because she still loved him deeply and the foolish part of her still wanted him to wake up to stop this insanity. Even if he does something more terrible, she may never be able to hurt him.

But what about the innocents that he had hurt? What about the innocents that he is going to hurt?

She remembered what he had told her before the war, that he wanted to leave with her. If she had accepted that, would everything still happen?

And now she's pregnant with their child, and she doesn't know how to deal with it, or even how to talk to him about it. If she knew about it long ago, she probably wouldn’t even thought about rejecting him.

But what happened has already happened, and there is no turning back.

What was she supposed to do now, given the circumstances? Daenerys has never felt so lost.

She used to think she was doing the right things. But look at them now, what he had done, what she had done, how did everything turn out so wrong?

Daenerys walked back. She knew she needed to talk to someone.

  
**Sansa**

She never thought that the Dragon Queen would visit her at what might be the last moment of her life, in the dungeon.

"Look at us, " Sansa grined bitterly as she looks at her perfectly coiffed silver hair, "The last time we were alone, we were still fighting over our positions, both so sure of ourselves. And here we are, you seem more confused than I am. "

"Why did you betray him? " Asked Daenerys, after a long silence.

"For the north? For myself? " She said, "Sometimes when I’m trying to understand a person's motives, I play a little game and assume the worst. That's what Lord Baelish taught me. "

"Unfortunately, all my predictions came true. Now that I've seen what he's done, I'll do it again. "

"You're his sister. "

"I am……. a failed sister. I thought I could be there to help guide him as his family, but now it seems I was delusional. Growing up, the Stark blood never calmed his rage, it was just a disguise he used to hide himself. Once my brother realized who he really is. His true nature of Fire and Blood showed."

Sansa knows what she's doing. She can see the wobble in Dragon Queen's heart. If it could give her a chance to take revenge on Jon for what he did to her, then she won't mind playing another little game.

"Do you think our house words are stamped on our bodies when we’re born and define who we are? " Asked Daenerys, anger was in her eyes, just what Sansa needed, "If so, should not my nature more be fire and blood too? He is not his grandfather than I am my father! "

"He burned King's Landing! " Sansa interrupted, "Cersei is an evil woman. The night king himself is a dangerous being. Pile up all the bodies of all the people they ever killed, there still won’t be half as many as my righteous brother slaughtered in a single day. "

"Cersei left us no choice, and he knows it...... "

“The moment the bell rang the war is over! You said that yourself!”

“……He lost his favourite sister, he saw his friend beheaded and his wolf got killed.”Daenerys explained, vioce starting to tremble, trying to deny her. But it sounded so pale,“It’s easy to judge when you’re standing far from the battlefield……”

“Yes, so what? He burned down a city for it anyway! That’s the truth you can’t deny!”

In that moment, Daenerys paused. Sadness and guilt appeared in her eyes, she probably remembered the terrible things she had seen. Sansa knew, she was about to prevail. 

"I'm sorry, Your Grace." she said, her voice became hushed, restrained herself.

“Would you have done it? " She continued. "You rode with him in the sky on the dragon's back, even before he did. You should know better than him that what it feels like to have that power. Did you ever think of burning King's Landing at that moment? "

"I don't know... " she answered, her voice was so small.

"You know you won't. You’re saying this because you love him. You don't want to betray him again. " Sansa said, tears streaming down her face as she had planned. "I loved him, too, even though in a different way. "

"When he executed his brothers in black who betrayed him, people loved him, because they threatened the union of the night’s watch and the wildings, they were the bad guys who was not willing to listen, even though one of them was a 10-year-old boy. When he defeated Ramsay Snow, nearly beat him to death, executed thousands of Bolton’s men and took back Winterfell for us, people loved him, I loved him, because Ramsay Snow was a bad man, a threat to our home. When he united the north against the night king, people loved him, because the army of the dead was a threat to the entire realm. Everywhere he went, threats were destroyed, and we loved him for it, then he became more and more certain that he was born to save, and it is his mission to save us all from the chaos of war. "

"You believed in him, just like I used to. But what happens when he realized that world itself and the ones who run it are the threat, that the only way to keep people out of war was to burn down the whole world? Would you still let him do it? "

"I'm telling you this now because the man you and I both love has changed, and it's time to stop loving him. "

Daenerys let out a long sigh and sat down.

"A queen must put her feelings aside and do what’s best for her people, " she murmured. "That's what Tyrion told me. "

"I know it’s a terrible thing I’m asking. He is your nephew, your lover, " said Sansa, "But just like you said, you are the breaker of chains, the liberator of the people, you care about the innocent and you will do the right thing for them, free them form tyrants. Who is the worst tyrant now? Do you think I will be the first one he punished? Who will threaten him more than the other Targaryen in the world? "

Daenerys closed her eyes, pain and dilemma filled her face.

"……He is still the rightful heir to the Iron Throne." she said, standing up, turning to leave.

"But what about your people? The people in Essos? " Sansa called to her before she left. "You know that he’s not going to stop. Do you think they will bend the knee to him? What about Ser Jorah? Yara Greyjoy? Dorne? Will they swear allegiance to him? "

Daenerys froze when she heard this. She turned and looked serious. She stared at her for a long time, then turned away again.

Sansa hoped she succeeds in persuading her.

  
**Daenerys**

Daenerys made her way to what was once the Great Hall of the Red Keep, holding the dagger hidden behind her.

She knew what she had to do.

Rhaegal straightened up in front of her, watching over his rider. The heavy and snowy ash fell from his body. He stared his mother, letting out a hissing growl.

I'm sorry, I should have never left you. Daenerys slowly went up to him, apologizing silently, and stroking his nose. The dragon purred and make a way for his mother.

As she entered the throne room, she saw Jon standing in the distance, gazing intently at the iron throne, touching the hilt of one of its swords.

It was the thing Daenerys had wanted the most, but now, looking at it, all she could feel was sadness and deep deep disgust.

How many people have died for it? How many people have lost their minds over it?

For it, what she has done to Jon, the man she loves the most……

“Strange, isn’t it? I used to think the thing to be ugly and uncomfortble. But now that I’ve actually seen it, I do find its charm.”He said, let out a small chuckle, still facing his back at her.

"When I was a little boy, Maester Luwin told me the iron throne was made with a thousand of swords from Aegon’s fallen enemies, " Jon said, turning to her, "people worshipped him, but mine had always been Daeron the Young Dragon, who conquered Dorne at the age of fourteen, taking city after city, accomplishing great things that no Targaryens before had ever done. "

"Can you imagine? How much more he would have achieved if he hadn't died so young? I’m afraid all the dragon kings combined wouldn’t have been enough. " he said, with a almost innocent smile, walking forward, dark flames burning in his eyes.

"Jon...... " She murmured, feeling her blood warm with that fire.

“Call me Aegon,” He interrupted her with a gentle voice, “Jon Snow is a lie. I don’t ever want to be that man anymore.”

But Jon Snow is also the man she loves, same as Aegon, thought Daenerys.

He went up to her and kissed her again. This time it was strongly, menacingly, with a lethal aggression, like a dragon that catches its prey, once bitten, never let go. She tasted smoke and blood in his mouth, it’s so scary but at the same time so exciting. For a moment, Daenerys felt she was about to give in. But no, she’s a dragon too, and dragons do not surrender easily.

With all her strength, she pushed him away again. She had to confirm something with him.

In that moment, Jon's face darkened, a hurt look appeared in his eyes, then it was replaced with defense, he lifted his head indifferently like a king.

“Go away, Daenerys,”he said, it was the first time he called her in full name, his voice cold, “Just like what you always want to do.”

She knew that her determination to leave had caused him pain. She understood now. She thought she was doing everything right, but she ended up doing the most important thing wrong. She shouldn’t reject him. She only had pushed him further and further away, till he reached the depths of despair. 

“I saw your men executing Lannister prisoners in the street,”She said, leaving aside the subject, knowing she could not be consumed by guilt yet,“They said they were acting on your orders.”

"It was necessary." he said, still unable to hear any emotion.

She knew she had to stir him, even if it means she would provoke or hurt him again, or he would lock himself away from her forever.

"Necessary? Have you been down there? " Daenerys shouted at him, pressing him with fury of her own. "Have you seen? Do you have any idea of what you did? I have. Cause I have seen it with my own eyes yet I could not stop it. Women, children and little children, they were all burned alive! "

"I told you we'd stop when the bell rang and you had also made your promise to me. But what did you do? ! You burned a city! You hurt innocent people! I believe and trust you and this is how you repay me?! Do you know how disappointed I am?! You betrayed me too! WHY? ! "

"BECAUSE IT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH! " Finally he could no longer hold his emotions and shot back at her, his eyes full of resentment and pain. Her words worked, "It will not be enough…… Your heart is too good to see it, Dany, you tried to make peace with Cersei, gave them a chance. But it also allows her to use their innocence as a weapon against us. What are we going to do if she hadn't surrendered? What are you going to do? No, we must teach them a lesson, so that people will know what happens to those who defy us. We can’t hide behind small mercies!"

"I know you can't do it, so I have to. Even if I have to take thousands of lives for it, even if I have to become the monster that people think I am, I will do it. For you, for the future that we may never have. You give me this crown, then I will take it seriously……" His voice started to tremble , sadness appeared on his face

“I’m sorry, Dany. I’m sorry I let you fall from the dragon. I’m sorry I didn’t cherish you when I had the chance. I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.” He apologized to her. 

Tears ran down his red eyes. For a moment, he looked so fragile and helpless, though in an unstable, twisted way.

Daenerys felt her heart was about to crumble.

She stepped forward and hugged him.

No, it’s not your fault. I am the one who had been wrong. I am. I screwed up everything.

“I’ve forgiven you a long time ago.” She said to him, tears blurring her eyes too.

"I have to do it... " he murmured in her arms, sobbing. "I have to do it again, and again, if I'm going to stop the war, I have to. "

"Tyrion and Sansa, the liars and schemers and all the people who wronged us, they are the worst, I will not spare them. From Winterfell to King's Landing, from Braavos to Asshai, I will do it, I will burn the world for you. And after that I will build a better one upon it, a world without lies and chaos, a good world, just like you’ve always dreamed of, what we’ve dreamed of."

Yes, she used to think she wants a good world, but not anymore, not like this, not with millions and millions of sacrifices, not after everything that happened, not after she realized there were still things that were already good and wonderful enough in this world for her to cherish.

Like you, Jon, like what you used to be.

"What about everyone else? All the other people who think the world they know is good? "Daenerys whispered, stroking his black curls

"They don't get to choose. " Jon replied.

And that's when she knew it was the time.

She knows what Sansa wants her to do, but no, she won't do it, not fully.

There are other options.

"Be with me, Dany, don't leave me." he looked up at her with his big brown eyes, like a harmless child, "Build the new world with me. This is our reason. It has been from the beginning, since you were a little girl in exile, and I was a little boy with a bastard’s name, just like what you said to me on that boat—— ”

“We do it together. We break the wheel together.” He invited.

"I will not leave you again, not anymore. " said Daenerys, kissing him.

Her dagger went into his chest.

Shock appeared on Jon’s face, as his body collapsed, Daenerys began to cry.

Rhaegal flew in from the outside, landed inside the hall so is Drogon who got his strength back, the former saw what happened and mourned for his rider.

Both of his sons and their mother looked at each other, they all knew what they were going to do.

"Dracarys! " Daenerys commanded, and the flames covered the throne, soon the hundred-year-old chair was reduced to a pool of molten water.

So that's what breaking the wheel really means.

She turned her head to face her children again.

"You're free." she said to Rhaegal in Valyrian and tell him the place he needed to go before he do so, he then let out a low growl and took Jon off into the distance.

They're free. Daenerys thought silently as she stroking Drogon and looked up into the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I intentionally write it a little bit vague at the end of Dany's part in this chapter. I want to leave some space for you guys. You can said that Dany didn't give Jon a fatal wound or she did kill him but take him to Kinvara or she think killing him is the only way to set both of them free. I leave it for you to deciede. Next two chapers is the end. If you want an opening ending you can finish reading at Epilogue I, if you want a happy ending then continue read till the last chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opening ending

**Epilogue I**

Since the day of the fire in King's Landing, Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, also known as Aegon Targaryen, have not been seen anymore. There are various options of what happened at the end of that battle, some say they burned each other to death, others say that they escaped together, but whatever happens, the horror of that day that Aegon VI has brought remains etched in the memory of everyone who had been there.

  
After there was a meeting of all the lords in Westeros in the Dragons' Pit, hosted by the spider lord Varys, to deal with the division of power in the seven kingdoms. The result of the meeting surprised everyone, for the first time, people chose their ruler using vote, Brandon Stark was named king of the seven kingdoms. The first order of the new king was to release his sister, Sansa Stark, who was thought to be continued her position as the Lady of Winterfell, as lord Tyrion had suggested. However, king Bran, who basically knew everything, revealed Sansa and Tyrion’s betrayal of King Jon and Queen Daenerys. As a punishment, Bran ordered his sister to join the silent sisters. Tyrion Lannister was also punished to take the black to join the night’s watch. Many suspected that he might not make it out to the wall alive with the accompany of Lord Commander Edd who is still furious about his crime after his king’s weird disappearance. Lady Lyanna Mormont was named Warden of the North, for a thousand years, the north was finally ruled by someone who is not from House Stark. Jaime Lannister was named Warden of the West, Varys was named Hand of the King. As each position were shared out, people slowly began to settled down. In any case, after all the years of war, Westeros was at last at peace.

  
As for the Dragon Queen, her men later returned to Essos in search of her, but nothing came of it. In the end they all gave up, even the determined Ser Jorah stopped one day for some unknown reasons, and went back to their homes. It is rumored that a mysterious woman with silver hair wearing a veil was seen in White Harbor shortly after that day, sailing in the direction of Volantis, the sacred place of the red priests, to which the two dragons are said to have flown that day too. But still, it's not that uncommon, for all the women of Valyrian ancestry might have silver hair, so some doubt the authenticity of the news.

  
Anyway, the war will not start for a while. Living a normal and peaceful life is what people really care about.

The Game of Thrones ended, for now.


	9. Chapter 9

**Epilogue II**

  
"Mama! Mama! Look at the dragon I made. Do you like it? "

  
A little boy with silver hair and brown eyes was holding a hand-woven made by string, ran into a red door, passed the lemon tree in front of it, and leaped into his mother's arms.

  
"It's beautiful. You're doing it very well. " his silver-haired mother smiled, holding him down and touching her son's cheek. "Aemon, you're not that little anymore. You can’t stick to your mother all the time like this. " 

  
"But I like you the best mama, and Ary always follows papa, lately she's even more annoying when she starts learning swords with him, bragging with me all the time. Who else can I turn to but you? " said the little boy, pouting, looking cute and innocent.

  
"Well, then how about I talk to your father when he gets back, have him train you and Aryanna together, happy?" his mother replied, leading him back into the house.

  
"Mama? "

  
"Hmm? "

  
"You're still going to read to me stories tonight, right? About your past with papa? And adventures you guys have in Sothoryos and new found Valyria? "

  
"Of course. Whatever one you want. " said his mother.

  
"Mama? "

  
"Hmm? "

  
"Does this story have a name? I heard papa says that every good sword has its own name, so I suppose every story should has one too? "

  
"Yes, my little prince, " his mother smiled thoughtfully at him.

  
"The name of the story is called, A song of ice and fire. "

  
END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the full end. I originally plan to have Jon show up in the last part but then I think it’s going to be a little bit sudden for readers since what happen in chapter 7 and I don’t want to drag the story for too long so I decide again to leave some space for you guys to imagine. Of course Jon is going to be sad and angry about what Dany did to him in this fic and there would be a lot of hurt/comfort time for them to work everything out. But in the end we all know that deep down he could never blame her and Dany decides to stay with him and their child will give him hope again. Anyway, I think they will be fine.
> 
> （Ps：Their daughter's name is a combination of Arya and Lyanna. I think Dany named it.）


End file.
